46 crorepatis in phase 1 Jharkhand elections: Election Watch

RANCHI: Forty six out of the 199 candidates contesting in the first of five-phase elections for Jharkhand Assembly have declared assets worth more than one crore rupees and 55 candidates have criminal cases against them, according to 'Democratic Reforms and Jharkhand Election Watch.'

Six Jharkhand Vikas Morcha candidates have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore, the Election Watch said quoting affidavits filed by nominees for the November 25 first phase elections.

Five BJP candidates, four Congress nominees, three of JMM, five of RJD, two of BSP, one of Rastriya Mazdoor Kishan Party, NCP, Bahujan Mukti Party, Samajwadi Party, Naujawan Sangharsh Party, Bharatiya Suraj Dal and Janata Dal Rastravadi also have assets of more than Rs 1 crore.

14 candidates contesting as Independent have also declared assets over one crore rupees, said Election Watch, an NGO.

After studying the affidavits of the candidates put up in the Election Commission's website, the NGO said 55 of the 199 candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves, and 37 of the 55 declared cases of murder, attempt to murder and crime against women.

While five candidates declared cases related to murder, 14 have declared cases of attempt to murder and two nominees face cases of crime against women, it said.

One candidate declared a case related to injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class under IPC Section 295, it said.

Two candidates declared cases related to robbery while two others declared kidnapping cases, it said.