Tamil Nadu polls: Decoding the candidates

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Chief ministerial candidates of three major parties in Tamil Nadu - All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) chief J Jayalalithaa, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) leader Vijayakanth - are among the top 10 candidates with the highest assets. They declared assets worth crores of rupees in their affidavit for the upcoming Assembly elections, according to a report by the Tamil Nadu Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms. 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. Of the 997 candidates, 283 (28 per cent) have declared criminal cases against themselves. 157 (16 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases, including cases related to murder, attempt to murder, theft and crimes against women, among others. According to the report, 454 (46 per cent) have declared their educational qualification to be between Class V and XII pass, while 488 (49 per cent) have declared having educational qualification of graduate or above. Six candidates have declared to be simple literates and six other candidates have declared to be illiterate.