UP elctions 2012: SP leads the tainted candidates list

LUCKNOW: The second phase of UP assembly elections is turning out to be a show of muscle and money power. After analysing affidavits of 337 candidates out of 1,098 contesting in the second phase, the UP Election Watch ( UPEW) found 35% (118) candidates with criminal cases against them.

Also, 55 (16%) of them are charged with criminal offences, including murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping , robbery and extortion.

Jailed mafia don Mukhtar Ansari (of Quami Ekta Dal, contesting from Mau and Ghosi) has declared maximum number of criminal cases. He has 15 criminal cases, including nine serious cases. He is followed by Upendra ( SP candidate from Phephana in Ballia) with 11 cases and Javed Iqbal (BSP candidate from Kushinagar) with 5 criminal cases.

Almost all big parties have given tickets to candidates with criminal antecedents.SP leads with 30 such candidates, out of its 59 candidates in the second phase. Out of 337 candidates , 138 (41%) candidates are ‘crorepatis’ .

Parties have given tickets to illiterates as well as PhD nominees. Of the 337 candidates analysed, 212 (63%) are graduates or with higher qualifications. Out of 1,098 candidates in the second phase, only 76 (7%) are women. Congress has nominated the most number of women. BSP has given tickets to only two women.