New Delhi: This Lok Sabha election has seen a major jump in the number of 'crorepati' candidates from the 2009 poll, at more than 950, while there has also been a rise in the number of candidates with criminal records, according to National Election Watch (NEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).
According to NEW and ADR that are working for poll reforms, of the 8,163 candidates analysed for the 2014 election, 2,208 (27 percent) are crorepatis (millionaires). In 2009, of the 7,810 candidates analysed, 1,249 (16 percent) candidates were crorepatis, the two organisations said in a press release.
Of candidates with criminal cases, it says of the 8,163 candidates, 1,398 or 17 percent, have declared criminal cases against themselves. In the 2009 poll, of the 7,810 candidates, 1,158 or 15 percent had declared criminal cases against themselves.
Party-wise breakup of candidates with declared assets of more than Rs.1 crore: The Congress has the highest number of 365 (79 percent) crorepati candidates out of 462 candidates. The next is the Bharatiya Janata Party with 309 (73 percent) out of 426 candidates; 192 (45 percent) out of 427 candidates in Aam Aadmi Party, 161 (32 percent) out of 501 candidates in Bahujan Samaj Party and 342 (11 percent) out of 3,182 Independent candidates.
