Rich man's game: 54 of 167 candidates in Manipur elections are crorepatis

A total of 54 crorepati candidates are in the fray for the first phase of Manipur Assembly elections to be held on March 4, while eight have declared criminal cases against them, according to a recent report.

Manipur Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has analysed the self-sworn affidavits of all 167 candidates from 17 political parties, including six national parties, five state parties, six unrecognised parties and 14 independent candidates who are contesting in the first phase of the Manipur Assembly elections.

Out of the 167 candidates, 54 are crorepatis, it said.

Among party-wise crorepati candidates, 21 out of 37 from Indian National Congress (INC), 21 of 38 from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), five of 12 from National Peoples Party, two of eight from North East India Development Party and two of six from Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore, Delhi-based ADR said in a report released on Monday.

The average assets per candidate contesting in the first phase of Manipur polls is Rs 1.04 crore.

Among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 37 INC candidates is Rs 1.73 crore, 38 BJP candidates (Rs 1.49 crore), 12 National Peoples Party candidates (Rs 1.06 crore), 10 All India Trinamool Congress candidates (Rs 32.74 lakh), six NCP candidates (Rs 58.74 lakh) and 14 Independent candidates (Rs 26.36 lakh).

The three richest candidates contesting in the first phase of Manipur Assembly Elections are Sehpu Haokip of Naga Peoples Front with total assets of over Rs 13 crore, followed by Konthoujam Krishnakumar of BJP (over Rs 9 crore) and Kshetrimayum Biren Singh of INC (over Rs 8 crore), the report by the think-tank said.

A total of nine candidates have not declared their PAN details. The top three candidates with the highest income are Kshetrimayum Biren Singh of INC with total income of over Rs 2 crore followed by Khundrakpam Bhabeshwar of LJP (over Rs 28 lakh) and Konthoujam Govindas also from INC (over Rs 27 lakh), it said.

The report further said that out of 167 candidates analysed, eight have declared criminal cases against themselves.

There are three candidates who have declared serious criminal cases, including cases related to attempt to murder, cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property etc.

Among party-wise candidates with criminal cases, four of 38 candidates from BJP, two of 37 candidates from INC, one of 10 candidates from Manipur National Democratic Front and one of six candidates from NCP have declared criminal cases against themselves in their affidavits, it added.

On the education details of candidates, the report said, 38 have declared their qualification to be between 5th and 12th, while 124 have declared having a qualification of graduate or above and one candidate is illiterate.

A total of 72 candidates have declared their age to be between 25 and 50 years, while 95 between 51 and 80 years.

In the first phase of Manipur Assembly election this year, only seven female candidates are contesting.