Over 30% Uttarakhand candidates are crorepatis

 Thirty-one per cent of the 637 candidates fighting the Uttarakhand Assembly polls are crorepatis while 8% have serious criminal charges against them, according to a private election watchdog.

The analysis by the Association for Democratic Rights (ADR) showed that 200 candidates have assets above Rs 1 crore. BJP candidate Satpal Maharaj, who is fighting from Chaubattakhal, is the richest with Rs 80.25 crore.

The poorest are Bahujan Mukti Party’s Manglore candidate Sunil Kumar and independent Rajendra Singh of Lohaghat, who have declared just Rs 500 each as their assets.

The average assets is Rs 1.57 crore per candidate, according to the ADR analysis of the election affidavits submitted by the aspirants while filing their nominations.

The ruling Congress has 52 crorepatis among its 70 candidates while the BJP has 48 out of 70 candidates.

Fifty-three out of 261 independent candidates have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore.

When it comes to criminal backgrounds, 54 candidates have mentioned serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.