Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Infographic: 1 in 3 candidates crorepatis in Phase 1

When it comes to wealth, there are 450 crorepati candidates in the first phase with BJP having 69 such candidates followed by Congress which has 49, AIADMK which has 35, DMK with 21 such individuals, BSP with 18, and Trinamool and RJD which have 4 such individuals each.

New Delhi: One in ten candidates in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections have serious criminal cases registered against them while one in every three candidates is a crorepati, according to an analysis by private election watchdog Association for Democratic Rights.

Analysing 1,618 out of the 1,625 candidates in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 19, it said 161 candidates have serious criminal charges against them, which included seven with murder charges and 19 with attempted murder cases.

Eight candidates have crimes against women, including one with rape charges against him.

When it comes to party-wise candidates, 14 out of 77 BJP candidates have serious criminal charges while Congress has eight of 56 candidates in this category. Trinamool has one such candidate while RJD and SP have two each, and DMK and AIADMK six each. BSP also has eight candidates.

When it comes to wealth, there are 450 crorepati candidates in the first phase with BJP having 69 such candidates followed by Congress with 49, AIADMK with 35, DMK with 21, BSP with 18, and Trinamool and RJD with 4 each.

AIADMK candidates have the highest average assets at Rs 35.61 crore followed by DMK which has Rs 31.22 crore, Congress which has Rs 27.79 crore, and BJP which has Rs 22.37.

Congress’s Chhindwara candidate Nakul Nath is the richest with Rs 716.94 crore assets followed by Erode candidate Ashok Kumar (AIADMK) Rs 662.46 crore and Sivaganga candidate Devanathan Yadav T (BJP) Rs 304.92 crore.

While ten candidates have declared zero assets, independent candidates Ponraj K (Thoothukkudi), Kartik Gendlalji Doke (Ramtek) and Suriyamuthu (Chennai North) have declared the least assets.