Gujarat: 11 of 45 candidates in by-polls are crorepatis

An analysis of the 45 candidates contesting elections for the assembly by-polls in Gujarat has shown that 24 per cent of all the contesting candidates are crorepatis. 11 of the 45 contesting candidates have assets or income above Rs 1 crore. Interestingly, none of them are women.

The details were made available following an analysis of the affidavits of the candidates for the four assembly seats of Unjha Dhrangadhra, Jamnagar and Manavadar by the Association for Democratic Reforms.

The richest of all the candidates is the one from BJP who is contesting the Manavadar seat who has has assets of Rs 63 crore. BJP's Dhrangadhra candidate is the second richest with assets worth Rs 45 crore followed by the independent candidate from Unjha who has assets worth Rs 10.81 crore.

Farming and farming related trade activities are the source of income of six of the 11 crorepati candidates.

Only 8 per cent of the contesting candidates are women with majority being in the age group of 40 to 60 years. 51 per cent of all the candidates fighting the assembly by polls have not graduates. The qualification level of 23 candidates range from class 9 to second year of college.

The analysis also found that majority of the candidates (12) are into farming while six are into labour work. The second highest number of candidates among all the 45 have mentioned their occupation as professionals.

Interestingly, only three of the contesting candidates have criminal cases against them. This includes BJP's candidate from Dhrangadhra, Congress' candidate from Unjha and an independent candidate from Jamnagar Rural.