April 17 polls: 11 of 19 seats have at least three candidates with criminal cases
April 17 polls: Sena-BJP combine has more criminal candidates than others
Eleven of 19 constituencies that will go to polls on April 17 in the state have at least three candidates with declared criminal cases, according to a report by the Association for Democratic Reforms, a non government body. ADR has arrived at the figure by analysing the affidavits submitted by the candidates to the election commission.Three candidates, including one from NCP, face murder charges, while two contestants, with one from Shiv Sena, have attempt-to-murder charges against them.With 11 cases and over 80 charges ranging from murder to attempt-to-murder, sitting MP Raju Shetty of Swabhimani Paksha is on the top of the list.ADR's analysis shows that the Sena-BJP combine has more criminal candidates than any other party. The saffron alliance has 11 of 15 candidates with criminal past, whereas the Congress-NCP ruling alliance has 9 of 18 candidates with criminal track records. Five from debutant Aam Aadmi Party too have criminal records.Unlike the Vidarbha region, candidates from the saffron alliance in these 19 constituencies are financially better than the ruling party candidates. All the BJP and Sena nominees are 'crorepatis', says ADR. Sixteen of 18 Congress-NCP faces are also crorepatis.At Rs113 crore, NCP chief Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule is the richest candidate in the fray in the second phase.