In Chhattisgarh’s upcoming election, 26 BJP candidates have criminal cases registered against them.

The first phase of the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections has seen a notable uptick in criminal cases against candidates, particularly those affiliated with the BJP, according to a report released by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and National Election Watch (NEW).

Out of the 223 candidates vying for positions in this initial phase, a total of 26 individuals are facing criminal charges, with the majority hailing from the BJP. Shockingly, 16 of these candidates have serious criminal charges against them, as disclosed by the report.

In addition to the criminal cases, a significant number of affluent candidates are contesting the elections, with 46 being crorepati (having assets worth over a crore). The Congress party leads the pack with 14 crorepati candidates, closely followed by the BJP and AAP, each with three such candidates, as indicated in the report.

The report also provides insight into the financial backgrounds of the candidates, revealing that the average assets declared per candidate participating in the Phase I Chhattisgarh Assembly elections amount to Rs. 1.34 crores.

On a positive note, the report underscores the presence of 25 female candidates in the first phase of elections, scheduled for November 7. However, educational qualifications among the candidates vary significantly. Of the 223 candidates, 115 have qualifications ranging from 5th to 12th standard, while 97 have completed their graduation or hold higher degrees. Five candidates are diploma holders, four claim to be merely literate, and one candidate is entirely illiterate, with one candidate failing to disclose their educational background, as outlined in the report.