Assam elected more moneyed candidates and those with criminal cases in the recently concluded Assembly elections than in 2016.

Data analysed by Assam Election Watch (AEW) and Association for Democratic Reforms revealed 34 of the 126 candidates who won had declared criminal cases against them compared with 14 five years ago.

Of the 34 that won this time, 28 declared serious criminal cases related to murder, attempt to murder and crimes against women. Such candidates comprise 22% of those elected.

Congress leads the table with 12 of its 29 winners having declared criminal cases against them. Its ally, the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF), follows with 10 such candidates out of 16 winners.

Nine of the 60 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winners and one each of its allies Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People’s Party Liberal (UPPL). Raijor Dal president Akhil Gogoi, the lone independent, has several criminal cases against him.

“Among the 126 winners this time, 85 are crorepatis. The number is 13 more than in 2016,” AER’s State coordinator Tasaduk Ariful Hussain.

The BJP has 43 candidates followed by 21 of Congress, eight each of AGP and AIUDF, and three of Bodoland People’s Front who declared assets worth more than ₹1 crore. The richest among them is Sirajuddin Ajmal (Jamunamukh constituency) of AIUDF with assets worth more than ₹111 crore.

The average of assets per winner of mandate 2021 is ₹4.59 crore compared to ₹2.45 crore in 2016, the analytical report said.

The assets of 67 re-elected MLAs grew by an average of ₹1.98 crore from 2016 to 2021, the analysis of data revealed.

Of the winners, 34 studied up to Class 12 while 91 are graduates and above and one is a diploma holder. The percentage of MLAs with at least a Bachelor’s degree works out to 72%, up by 1% from 2016.

The data also showed 43% of the winning candidates are between 25 and 50 years of age while 57% are between 51 and 70 years of age.