Hyderabad: At least 36 Lok Sabha Seemandhra candidates, who filed nomination for the upcoming polls, have serious criminal cases like murder, attempt to murder and crimes against women against them. Out of over 300 candidates filing in their nominations, 57 candidates are facing various criminal charges.
Most of them belong to major parties like Telugu Desam and YSR Congress. Important constituencies like Kadapa and Rajahmundry have at least five candidates each with criminal cases pending against them, an analysis of candidates’ affidavits done by a civil society group has revealed.
Out of 25 constituencies, 12 constituencies have three or more candidates with criminal charges. When compared to previous election in the year 2009, there is a five per cent increase in number of candidates with police FIRs in their name, revealed the analysis that looked into affidavits of 328 candidates.
Seven of the 21 candidates fielded by the Telugu Desam have been booked for different criminal cases. As many as 10 candidates of the YSRC party, out of its 25 nominees, are facing police cases. Three candidates of the Congress and one candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party are also facing criminal charges. However, none of them have been convicted in these criminal cases.
YSRCP’s Kadapa candidate Avinash Reddy, who is the cousin of party supremo Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, has one criminal case against him under 12 IPC Section, including criminal intimidation and rioting charges in the FIR.
Vangala Sreenivasa Reddy, an independent candidate from the Nandyal constituency, has a murder case registered against him. Whereas four other candidates including Lakshmi Reddy Putta (AIFB) from Kadapa constituency, Mekala Hanumantha Rao Yadav (BSP) from Narasaraopet constituency, Vangala Sreenivasa Reddy (IND) from Nandyal constituency and Undru Gani Raju (IND) from the Amalapuram constituency have declared a charge related to attempt to murder against themselves.
Four candidates from different parties have cases pertaining to crimes against women on them.
