Delhi polls: BJP tops list of tainted candidates

New Delhi: As many as 129 contestants in Delhi assembly polls have criminal background with BJP topping the list by giving maximum number of tickets to tainted candidates, an analysis of self-sworn affidavits made by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Delhi Election Watch said in New Delhi today. Nearly two-thirds (93) of 129 candidates with tainted backgrounds declared serious charges against them which included attempt to murder, robbery/dacoity and crime, it said. [caption id=“attachment_1251505” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Tainted candidates? Reuters[/caption] Even AAP, which has entered the election fray with a promise to decriminalise politics, have fielded five candidates with serious criminal charges against them, said the analysis. Moreover, there is an overall increase of two percent in the number of tainted candidates as compared to the last assembly election in 2008. In 2008, there were 111 (14 percent) candidates with declared criminal cases, which has increased to 129 (16 percent) this year, said the analysis. Party-wise, 15 (21 percent) of 70 candidates fielded by Congress have declared criminal cases against them while 31 (46 percent) out of 68 candidates from BJP, 14 (21 percent) out of 67 candidates from BSP and 5 (7 percent) out of 70 candidates from AAP have declared criminal cases in their affidavits. Out of those candidates who have declared criminal cases against them, eight of Congress have declared serious criminal cases against them, while 22 from BJP, 12 from BSP and five from AAP have declared serious criminal cases in their affidavits, said ADR report. In 2008 assembly election, Congress had fielded 30 percent candidates with criminal cases, which has come down to 21 percent in 2013. BJP had 35 percent candidates with criminal cases in 2008 assembly elections which has risen to 46 percent in 2013. PTI