There are currently criminal cases against about one-third or 29 per cent of the total 4,136 candidates running for office in Maharashtra.
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) estimates that the percentage is 45% for national parties and 60% for state-level parties.
According to an analysis published on Saturday, November 16, by the ADR, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has 68% of its 149 candidates in the state who have criminal charges, making it the party with the most such candidates. Among the other parties, these figures are as follows: Shiv Sena (UBT) has 66% of the vote, the Congress has 59%, the NCP-SP has 51%, the Shiv Sena has 52%, and the NCP has 54%.
Based on a representative sample of 2,201 candidates out of 4,136 running from 288 assembly constituencies, these figures have been calculated. The most common category was crimes against women; in the sample under study, 50 candidates had such cases filed against them.
Thirty-nine applicants are charged with attempting to commit murder, while six are charged with murder.
Other figures show that 2,087 candidates are Independents, 1,063 are from registered unrecognised parties (minor parties), 490 are from national parties, and 496 are from state parties.
Who Has The Most Money?
There are also 829 contestants (38%) who are crorepatis. Parag Shah from the Ghatkopar East region of Mumbai was the richest candidate, with INR 3,383 crore in reported assets, according to their nomination papers. Prashant Thakur from the Panvel area of Navi Mumbai was second on the list with wealth of INR 475 crore. Mangal Prabhat Lodha from Malabar Hill, Mumbai owns assets worth INR 447 crore, comes in third. Each of the three contestants is a BJP member.
On the other hand, 26 candidates - most of them are Independents - have reported no assets.
Income Terms:
Based on their income tax filings for the 2023–24 fiscal year, Parag Shah is the richest candidate with INR 44 crore, second being Muzaffar Hussain with INR 23 crore, and third Rohit Pawar with INR 23 crore.
Party-Wise Crorepatis:
As per party-wise, 97% of Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are rich and 95% of Sena (UBT) leaders are crorepatis.
Every election sees a rise in the proportion of elected officials who are crorepatis and have outstanding criminal issues, said Jagdeep Chhokar, founder member of ADR. In India, he added, 46% of Lok Sabha MPs had criminal cases in 2024 compared to 25% in 2004.
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