Three CM candidates in Tamil Nadu among top 10 crorepatis: report

Out of 997 candidates analysed, 56% are crorepatis, 28% have criminal cases against them, says the report by Tamil Nadu Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms

Chief Ministerial candidates of three major parties in Tamil Nadu - All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalithaa, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) leader Vijayakanth - are among the top 10 candidates with highest assets, with several crores worth of assets declared in their affidavit for the upcoming assembly elections, according to a latest report by Tamil Nadu Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

A total of 553 candidates (56 per cent of the 997 candidates analysed) from 11 major parties in the state are crorepatis, says the report.

Among the top 10 candidates with highest assets, a list topped by H Vasanthakumar, a candidate of Congress party with Rs 337.27 crore of assets, Jayalalithaa is in the third place with Rs 113.73 crore assets declared.

M Karunanidhi, DMK leader and Chief Ministerial candidate, is having a total asset of Rs 62 crore, while DMDK's Chief Ministerial candidate Vijayakanth has declared total asssets of Rs 53 crore.

M K Mohan, DMK's candidate from Anna Nagar, Chennai is the second richest candidate with Rs 170 crore assets declared. DMK's K C Pallanishamy who contests in Aravakurichi, Karur is in the fourth place with Rs 111 crore assets declared.

Around 87 per cent, which is 32 out of 37 candidates from INC, 64 (36 per cent) out of 176 candidates from BJP, 156 (72 per cent) out of 217 candidates from AIADMK, 133 (78 per cent) out of 170 candidates fielded by DMK, 72 (34 per cent) out of 211 candidates from PMK and 57 (58 per cent) out of 98 DMDK candidates have declared assets worth Rs 1 crore and above in their affidavits.

Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 37 Congress candidates is Rs 16.88 crore, 176 BJP candidates have average assets of Rs 2.08 crore, 217 AIADMK candidates have average assets worth Rs 4.83 crore, 170 DMK candidates have average assets worth Rs 8.19 crore, 211 PMK candidates have average assets worth Rs 1.56 crore, average assets of 98 DMDK candidates is Rs 2.80 crore, 23 MDMK candidates have average assets of Rs 4.27 crore and 14 Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) party, led by former Union Minister G K Vasan, candidates have average assets of Rs 9.58 crore.

Two candidates from BJP, V Karuppan of Chengam consituency in Tiruvannamalai district and S Dhandapani of Tirukkoyilur constituency in Villupuram, have declared zero assets in their self sworn affidavits.

A total of 3,776 candidates are in the fray in the Tamil Nadu 2016 elections to be held on May 16, 2016. Out of this, 1,107 candidates are from major parties. The organisations have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 997 out of these 1,107 candidates contesting from major parties. Details of 110 candidates from major parties could not be analysed due to unclear affidavits, it said.

Out of the 997 candidates analysed, 283 (28%) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves. 157 (16 per cent) candidates have declared serious criminal cases including cases related to murder, attempt to murder, theft, crimes against women etc. 28 constituencies in the Tamil Nadu assembly elections have three or more candidates from major parties with declared criminal cases.

According to the report, 454 (46 per cent) candidates have declared their education qualification to be between 5th pass and 12th pass, while 488 (49 per cent) candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. Six candidates have declared themselves to be simple literates and Six other candidates have declared themselves to be illiterate.

Of the total, 537 (54 per cent) candidates have declared their age to be between 25 and 50 years while 458 (46 per cent) candidates have declared their age to be between 51 and 80 years. Two candidates have declared they are more than 80 years old. Women candidates among the 997 major party candidates were 96 (10 per cent).