UP 2024 Parliamentary Elections: 23 per cent of 6th phase candidates have criminal cases, ADR report reveals | Representative Image
Lucknow: A startling fact ahead of the sixth phase of Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha elections is that the Uttar Pradesh Election Monitoring Mission and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) have revealed that 23% of candidates have criminal cases filed against them. 36% identified themselves as criminals. .
In a comprehensive analysis, Sultanpur, Pratapgarh, Phulpur, Allahabad, Ambedkarnagar, Shrabasti, Dumariagunj, Basti, Sant Kabir Nagar, Lalganj (South Carolina), Azamgarh, Jaunpur, Makrishar (South Carolina) Carolina), and Badhi.
According to the survey results, 38 of the 162 candidates (23%) have filed criminal charges and 21% are facing serious criminal charges. By political party, the Samajwadi Party (SP) had the highest number of candidates with criminal cases, with 9 out of 12 candidates (75%). This is followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with 6 out of 14 candidates (43%) and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) with 4 out of 14 candidates (29%). 75% candidates of SP are facing serious charges, followed by 29% candidates of BSP and candidates of BJP (21%).
Among the candidates, Babu Singh Kushwaha (SP, Jaunpur) has 25 criminal cases and Ram Buar Nishad (SP, Sultanpur) has eight criminal cases. Moinuddin Ahmed Khan (BSP, Shrabasti) has 10 criminal cases.
In terms of wealth, 59 out of 162 candidates (36%) are Crorepatis. All 14 candidates of the BJP are Crorepatis, followed by 11 of the SP and nine of the BSP. The richest among the candidates is Maneka Gandhi (BJP, Sultanpur) with a worth of Rs 9.7 crore, followed by Praveen Patel (BSP, Phulpur) with assets of Rs 640 crore. There is. Shivpal Singh Patel (SP, Pratapgarh) Rs 46 crore.
On the contrary, some candidates have declared much less assets, with SUCI (C)’s Ram Kumar Yadav declaring assets worth just Rs 1,686 crore, while independent candidate Subhash has declared assets worth just Rs 10,000. Urmila of the Samaj Parivartan Party has declared assets worth Rs 34,000 crore.
The educational background of the candidates is also interesting, with 65% having a graduate degree or above and 31% having qualifications ranging from 5th to 12th standard. Only a small portion of the candidates, 10%, are women.
This analysis highlights the evolving landscape of politics in Uttar Pradesh and raises pertinent questions about the relationship between money, power, and electoral representation. As Mr. Sanjay Singh, chief convenor of UP Election Watch ADR, aptly points out, there is a growing advantage of economically strong candidates and the entry of honest and dedicated individuals into the political arena. Challenges may arise at times.
