Out of 90 Chhattisgarh MLAs, 17 face criminal cases, 72 crorepatis: Report

New Delhi, Dec 5 (IANS) Out of the 90 winning candidates analysed in 2023, 17 winning candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves, while , a report said on Tuesday.

The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Chhattisgarh Election Watch which analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 90 winning candidates in the Chhattisgarh 2023 Assembly Elections in its report said that: "Out of the 90 winning candidates analysed in 2023 17,a 19 per cent of the total winning candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves."

It said that in 2018, 24 MLAs had declared criminal cases against themselves.

The report said that only six winning candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

In 2018, 13 MLAs had declared serious criminal cases against themselves.

The report said that 12 out of 54 winning candidates from BJP and five out of 35 winning candidates from Congress have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits, while four out of 54 winning candidates from BJP and two out of 35 winning candidates from Congress have declared serious criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits.

The report also said that 72 winning candidates in Chhattisgarh are crorepatis. In 2018, 68 MLAs were crorepatis.

The report said, "Out of 90, 43 out of 54 from BJP and 29 out of 35 from Congress have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore."

It also said that the average of assets per winning candidates in the Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2023 is Rs 5.25 crore. The average of assets per MLA in the Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections 2018 was Rs 11.63 crore.

"The average assets per winning candidate for 54 BJP winning candidates is Rs 5.70 crore and 35 Congress winning candidates is Rs 4.70 crore and one Gondvana Gantantra Party winner candidate has average assets worth Rs 26.03 lakh.

BJP's MLA from Pandariya assembly seat Bhawna Bohra has the highest asset worth Rs 33.86 crore. Former Chief Minister and Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel who is also a MLA from Patan assembly seat is the second candidate with highest assets worth Rs 33.38 crore. BJP's Bilaspur MLA Amar Agarwal is the third MLA with highest assets worth Rs 27 crore.

Congrerss' Chandrapur MLA Ramkumar Yadav has the lowest asset worth Rs 10.02 l;akh, he is followed by BJP's Sitapur (ST) MLA Poorv Sainik Ramkumar Toppo with assets worth Rs 13.12 lakh and BJP's Pathalgaon (ST) MLA Gomati Sai witt assets worth Rs 15.47 lakh.

The report also said that 33 winning candidates have declared their educational qualification to be between fifth pass and 12th pass, while 54 winning candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduate and above. There are two winning candidates who are Diploma holders and 1 winner candidate is just literate, the report said.

Meanwhile, the report said that 44 winning candidates have declared their age to be between 25 and 50 years while 46 winning candidates have declared their age to be between 51 and 80 years.

"Out of 90 winning candidates analysed, 19 winning candidates are women," the report said. In 2018, out of 90 MLAs, 13 MLAs were women.

The report said that there are 24 re-elected MLAs in the Chhattisgarh assembly elections of 2023.

The report also said that average assets of re-elected MLAs in 2018 was Rs 5.13 crore and in 2023 the average assets of re-elected MLAs is Rs 7.23 crore. The growth in average assets of re-elected MLAs is Rs 2.09 crores i.e. by 41 per cent.

The BJP won in the state assembly polls by winning 54 seats while the Congress won 35 seats. The polling took place in two phases on November 7 and November 20.