SHILLONG, Feb 12: One hundred and thirteen candidates who are contesting the upcoming elections to the Meghalaya Legislative assembly are ‘crorepattis’, revealed the activist belonging  to the Meghalaya election watch.

Going by the analysis carried out by Meghalaya election watch, 38 of them are independent candidates, 35 belongs to the Congress party and there are 23 UDP that falls under the category of crorepattis. The others include 6 candidates of the NPP, 4 of the HSPDP, 3 of the SP and the other 2 belongs to the NCP and the BJP respectively.

Topping the list of crorepattis is the standard eight passed Ngaitlang Dhar who is contesting from Umroi constituency. His declared movable and immovable assets is Rs 2,35,644,31,277 crores (roughly 235 crores).

Jropsingh Nongkhlaw of the Congress stands second in the list with a declared assets worth Rs 52,01,85,000 (roughly 52 crore). Metbah Lyngdoh of the UDP has a declared assets worth 37,29,87,711 (approximately 37 crores. The fourth and fifth place belongs to two others standard eight passed Comingone Ymbon of the Congress and Banalari Khongwar of the UDP.

There are twenty candidates with the lowest assets (below Rs 1 lakh). The first in the list is Charles G R Syngkli of the NCP with a declared asset of Rs 2,500. HSPDP candidate from Mawhati ,Hopingstone Marsharing declared his movable assets at Rs 6,042, Markus Lyngdoh of the same party and vying for the Umroi seat has Rs 9,067. Two other candidates in the list of having the lowest declared assets includes independent candidate from Dalu Joyferry N Sangma and Ketson Ch Sangma who is contesting as an independent from Ranikor constituency.

Of the 341 candidates whose have been analyzed by Meghalaya election watch, thirteen have declared that they criminal cases against them. Out of these 13 candidates with declared criminal cases, 7 have declared serious criminal cases like extortion, sedition, cheating etc against them. 2 each belongs to the Congress and the UDP. The NPP,HSPDP and SP have one candidate each that has criminal backgrounds. 6 independents who are in the fray also have cases against them.  

Interestingly, the names of Juluis K Dorphang, the surrendered Chairman of the proscribed Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and Bantedeidor Lyngdoh who was also an arrested member of the outfit did not figure in the list of candidates with criminal background.

Asked on this, the functionary of Meghalaya election watch Mayfreen Ryntathiang refused to give a direct reply. She said that there were three incomplete affidavits of the candidates which they could not analyze.

Of the 341 candidates, 2 are literate, 1 is a standard 5 class pass, 20 passed their 8th standard, 57   others finished the class 10, 67 are class 12th passed and 116 are graduates. There are 25 graduate proffessionals, 35 post graduates and 9 others with doctorate degrees.