AGARTALA: Even though the newly-elected representatives of Tripura appeared to be poorer compared to their Meghalaya and Nagaland counterparts, more MLAs with criminal antecedents got elected in Tripura than the two other states.

National Election Watch (NEW), Tripura Chapter, also revealed that less educated and older people got elected in the Tripura assembly election as compared to Meghalaya and Nagaland.

As many as 20 MLAs haven't even completed Class X-level education; one of them happens to be the oldest representative in Tripura and has not had any formal education. In the case of Meghalaya and Nagaland, the figure was much lower at 11 and 12 respectively. All three states have 60-member assemblies.

According to the NEW report, only one legislator below the age of 40 years got elected in Tripura but in case of Meghalaya and Nagaland, the figure was 15 and six respectively.

The report highlighted that 11 new faces, including five women, are stepping into the state assembly.

Tripura elected at least eight millionaires, six MLAs with criminal antecedents, three MLAs older than 70 years of age and three with only primary education. Interestingly, 43 MLAs from both the major parties - CPM and Congress - got re-elected.

NEW Tripura chairman and retired judicial officer B B Senapati said that Diba Chandra Hrangkhawl of Congress from Karamchara tribal reserved constituency appeared to be the poorest legislator in Tripura with assets of Rs 6,000.

Interestingly, as least nine CPM legislators, including six ministers of successive Left Front governments, did not declare their PAN despite having assets worth Rs 40 lakh to Rs 1 crore. They have never filed their income tax returns. Altogether, 27 of 49 MLAs from CPM and two of 10 Congress MLAs have not declared PAN details, said Senapati, adding that the average assets CPM MLAs was Rs 27.59 lakh and for Congress, it was Rs 1.83 crore. tnn