The Gujarat Assembly Election 2017 saw 89 of the 182 constituencies going to the polls in the first phase on December 9. The second phase of vioting will take place on December 14, and the results will be announced on December 18.
Of the two main parties in the Gujarat election battle, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been ruling the state for over 20 years, while the Congress, under Rahul Gandhi, is looking for an electoral revival.
In the first phase of polling, a total of 977 candidates were in the fray. According to a report by the ADR, as many as 137 (15%) of these candidates have criminal cases filed against them, while 78 (8%) candidates are facing 'serious criminal charges'.
The report also mentions the details of 'Red Alert Constituencies' -- those with 3 or more candidates with criminal records.
In the first phase, 21 of the 89 constituencies have been declared 'Red Alert constituencies'. These include Jamnagar North, Wankaner, Bhavnagar West, Mandvi, Junagadh, Gondal, Manvadar, Visavadar, Bhuj, Dhoraji, Abdasa, Lathi, Dediapada (ST), Dwarka, Jamnagar Rural, Jasdan, Anjar, Rajula, Jamnagar South, Somnath, Palitana.
Here is the full list of BJP and Congress candidates with criminal records filed against them:
| CANDIDATES | Congress/BJP | District | Constituency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jitendrabhai Kantilal Somani | BJP | Morbi | Wankaner |
| Parsotambhai Odhavjibhai Solanki | BJP | Bhavnagar | Bhavnagar Rural |
| Jadeja Dharmendrasinh Merubha | BJP | Jamnagar | Jamnagar North |
| Sanghvi Harsh Rameshkumar | BJP | Surat | Majura |
| Radadiya Jayeshbhai | BJP | Rajkot | Jetpur |
| Solanki Haribhai Boghabhai | BJP | Somnath | Una |
| Vasava Ravjibhai Ishwarbhai | BJP | Bharuch | Jhagadia (St) |
| Acharya Dr.Nimaben Bhaveshbhai | BJP | Kachchh | Bhuj |
| Pankajbhai Anopchand Maheta | BJP | Kachchh | Rapar |
| Mungra Raghavjibhai Hansarajbhai | BJP | Jamnagar | Jamnagar Rural |
| Vaghani Jitendrabhai Savajibhai | BJP | Bhavnagar | Bhavnagar West |
| Dilipbhai Nanubhai Sanghani | BJP | Amreli | Dhari |
| Pabubha Virambha Manek | BJP | Devbhumi Dwarka | Dwarka |
| Patel Vijaybhai Rameshbhai | BJP | Dangs | Dangs (St) |
| Zinabhai Najabhai Dervaliya | BJP | Surendranagar | Chotila |
| Amurutiya Kantilal Shivlal | BJP | Morbi | Morbi |
| Nitinkumar Valjibhai Fadadu | BJP | Junagadh | Manavadar |
| Sapariya Chimanbhai Dharamshibhai | BJP | Jamnagar | Jamjodhpur |
| Arvindbhai Gordhanbhai Raiyani | BJP | Rajkot | Rajkot East |
| Patel Kirit Balubhai | BJP | Junagadh | Visavadar |
| Odedra Lakhamanbhai Bhimabhai | BJP | Porbandar | Kutiyana |
| Mahendrabhai Liladharbhai Masharu | BJP | Junagadh | Junagadh |
| Barad Bhagvanbhai Dhanabhai | INC | Gir Somnath | Talala |
| Ribadiya Harshadkumar Madhavajibhai | INC | Junagadh | Visavadar |
| Bavaliya Kunvarjibhai Mohanbhai | INC | Rajkot | Jasdan |
| Humbal Veljibhai Kathadbhai | INC | Kachchh | Anjar |
| Joshi Bhikhabhai Galabhai | INC | Junagadh | Junagadh |
| Pingol Kishor Gnagjibhai | INC | Kachchh | Gandhidham (Sc) |
| Virajibhai Keshavbhai Thummar | INC | Amreli | Lathi |
| Gavit Mangalbhai Gangajibhai | INC | Dangs | Dangs (St) |
| Kumbharvadiya Jivanbhai Karubhai | INC | Jamnagar | Jamnagar North |
| Halpati Sureshbhai Maganbhai | INC | Navsari | Gandevi (St) |
| Mahamadjavid Abdulmutalib Pirzada | INC | Morbi | Wankaner |
| Rajguru Indranilbhai Sanjaybhai | INC | Rajkot | Rajkot West |
| Chavda Jawaharbhai Pethaljibhai | INC | Junagadh | Manavadar |
| Chudasama Vimalbhai Kanabhai | INC | Somnath | Somnath |
| Satishbhai Champakbhai | INC | Surat | Udhna |
| Chaudhari Jitubhai | INC | Valsad | Kaprada (St) |
| Bhumbhaliya Bhaveshbhai Govindbhai | INC | Surat | Karanj |
| Lal Ashokbhai Haridas | INC | Jamnagar | Jamnagar South |
| Pradhyumansinh Mahipatsinh Jadeja | INC | Kachchh | Abdasa |
| Dhanani Pareshkumar Dhirajlal | INC | Amreli | Amreli |
| Ahir Meraman Markhi | INC | Devbhumi Dwarka | Dwarka |
| Vasoya Lalitkumar Jashmatbhai | INC | Rajkot | Dhoraji |
| Chaki Adambhai Budhabhai | INC | Kachchh | Bhuj |
| Khatariya Arjunbhai Ghanshyambhai | INC | Rajkot | Gondal |
| Modhawadia Arjunbhai Devabhai | INC | Porbandar | Porbandar |
| Der Amrishbhai Jivabhai | INC | Amreli | Rajula |
| Madam Vikaram Arjanbhai | INC | Devbhumi Dwarka | Khambhalia |
| Yogendrasinh Chandrasinh Bakarola | INC | Surat | Olpad |
| Kanubhai Mathurambhai Baraiya | INC | Bhavnagar | Talaja |
| Patel Anantkumar Hasmukhbhai | INC | Navsari | Bansda (St) |
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