Ranchi: Like the first and second phase, the third phase of assembly election too will have several crorepati contestants in fray in economically-deprived Jharkhand. While Congress has fielded eight crorepati candidates, BJP and JMM have fielded seven each and JVM-P six. A total of six independent candidates are also crorepatis. A total of 129 crorepati candidates are in the fray, including the first phase which saw 46 crorepatis and the second phase with 37 crorepatis, contesting the polls. It, however, remains to be seen whether the moneybags were able to woo the voters in the state.

A report prepared by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), an NGO working for democratic reforms, said moneybags continue to rule the roost in Jharkhand elections. Congress chose 62% of its candidates who were crorepatis, BJP and JMM chose 50% of its candidates who were crorepatis and JVM-P chose 40% moneybags. A total of six crorepatis, who had enough bucks, decided to contest the polls as independents, the ADR report says.

In the third phase, 289 candidates are in the fray for 17 assembly segments spread across Hazaribag, Ranchi, Ramgarh, Chatra and Seraikela-Kharsawan where polling will take place on November 9.

According to the ADR report, Manish Jaiswal, who is contesting from Hazaribag assembly segment on a BJP ticket, leads the pack of moneybags with assets worth Rs 18.26 crore. Samta Party candidate from Khijri assembly segment, Vinod Kumar Bhagat, follows Jaiswal with Rs 13.95 c0rore. Congress leader Rajendra Prasad Singh is third in the rich-list among the 46 crorepatis with a hefty amount of Rs 11.63 crore.

The average asset per candidate contesting in the second phase of Jharkhand election is Rs 84.41 lakh. Among the major parties, the average assets per candidate for 14 BJP candidates is Rs 2.87 crore, 16 JMM candidates have average assets of Rs 1.72 crore, 15 JVM-P candidates have assets worth Rs 1.46 crore, 13 Congress candidates have average assets of Rs 2.93 crore and 103 independent candidates have average assets of Rs 27.96 lakh.

Congress spokesperson Rajesh Thakur said, "The rich candidates will also work for the poor when they are elected. All of them have earned the money through hard work. They were not as rich a decade ago. It does not mean that they have amassed the wealth through unlawful means."

ADR's state coordinator Sudhir Pal said his institution had appealed all political parties not to lay emphasis on money power while selecting candidates. "It seems that they have ignored the appeal," Pal said.