Fourth phase LS polls: Criminal cases filed against 23% candidates

Guntur: Out of the total 943 candidates contesting in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections to be held on April 29, 23 per cent candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves, according to AP Election Watch State coordinator P CSai Babu.

In a statement, he said, 17 per cent candidates have declared serious criminal cases. He further said that among the major parties, 44 per cent of BJP candidates, 32 per cent of Congress candidates and 20 per cent of BSP candidates have declared criminal cases.

He said 33 cent of the total contesting candidates are crorepatis. Eighty eight per cent of BJP and Congress candidates have more than one crore worth of assets. and 37 per cent of BSP candidates are corepatis. He said, the average asset per candidates contesting in the fourth phase of Lok Sabha election is 4.53 crore.

He informed that 49 per cent of fourth phase candidates are graduates, 44 per cent have declared education qualifications to be between 5th and 12th and 34 per cent candidates have declared to be just literate and nine candidates are illiterates.

P C Sai Babu said 53 per cent of candidates have declared their age to be between 41 to 60 years and 31 per cent candidates have declared their age to be below 40 years. He further said that 10 per cent of the total contesting candidates in the fourth phase are females.