Sena, NCP have maximum candidates with criminal past: rights body

New Delhi: The Shiv Sena and UPA ally Nationalist Congress Party have the maximum candidates with a criminal background fighting the general elections this year, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has said. The group, a crusader for honesty and transparency in politics, has said while the BJP has the most number of tainted candidates (13 out of 32), the Shiv Sena and NCP beats these figures on percentage.

"The Shiv Sena has 12 out of 14 candidates (86 per cent) with criminal cases, BJP has 13 out of 32 (41 per cent) and NCP has eight out of 13 (62 per cent). The AIADMK has one out of 6 (17 per cent) candidates with criminal cases,” the ADR has said.

ADR says that of the 70 candidates declared by six parties in their first lists so far, 34 (nearly half) have a total of 224 criminal cases against them in previous election affidavits. But they have still been nominated, ADR has said.

Shiv Sena tops the list on murder and kidnapping. Five out of 13 (38 per cent) candidates of the NCP, seven out of 32 (22 per cent) of the BJP and one of six (17 per cent) of the AIADMK have declared serious criminal cases against themselves, it said.

Four candidates, according to ADR, have cases of murder and attempt to murder against them in previous elections, Kirit Somaiya of the BJP has a case of dacoity against him, the ADR has said.

The average assets of 70 candidates are worth Rs 57.6 million, the ADR has said. Thirteen NCP candidates are worth Rs 171 million, five of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) have average assets of Rs 163 million, 14 candidates of the Shiv Sena have average assets of Rs 21.6 million, six of AIADMK are worth Rs 18.9 million and 32 candidates of the BJP Rs 18.1 million, the ADR has noted.

Sitting MP Praful Patelof the NCP has declared the highest assets worth Rs 1.2 billion, followed by Harsimrat Kaur Badal of the SAD with assets of Rs 603 million, and Supriya Sule of the NCP has assets worth Rs 504.5 million, the ADR has said.