Goa Assembly polls: 26% candidates booked in criminal cases

Of the total 301 candidates contesting the polls, 26 percent (77) have declared in their affidavits criminal cases pending against them in various courts, of which eight percent are facing serious criminal offences, the report stated.

At least 35 percent of Congress candidates have criminal cases against them, followed by the MGP with 23 percent, BJP with 18 percent, NCP and TMC with 15 percent each, and AAP with 10 percent, the ADR said.

The election watchdog has noted that 12 candidates have declared cases related to crime against women, of which one has a case related to rape. Eight candidates have cases of attempt to murder to their name.

A total of 301 candidates are in the fray for the state Assembly polls, scheduled to be held on February 14, of which 116 are from national parties, 104 from state parties, 13 from unrecognized parties and 68 are Independents.

At least 156 candidates were contesting from South Goa, while 145 were fighting from the North Goa district, the ADR said.

The BJP has fielded candidates in all the 40 constituencies, while the Congress will contest in 37 and its alliance partner the Goa Forward Party (GFP) will fight in three, it was stated.

As per the report, the Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) will fight in 26, NCP in 13, AAP in 39, Shiv Sena in 11, MGP in 13, Goencho Swabhiman party in four, Jai Mahabharat Party in six, Sambhaji Brigade in three and Revolutionary Goans in 38 constituencies.

According to the affidavits filed by the candidates, 187 of them (62 per cent) are crorepatis.

At least 31 percent of candidates have assets worth more than Rs 5 crore, 16 percent have between Rs 2 crore and Rs 5 crore, 20 percent between Rs 10 lakh and Rs 50 lakh, and 11 percent have assets worth less than Rs 10 lakh, the ADR revealed.

As per the report, 95 percent of BJP candidates are crorepatis, followed by 87 percent of the Congress, 69 percent of the MGP, 65 percent of the TMC, 67 percent of the GFP, 62 percent of the AAP, and 62 percent of the NCP.

The Congress' Michael Lobo (Calangute) and his wife Delilah (Siolim) are the richest candidates with assets worth Rs 92 crore each, followed by Dr Chandrakant Shetye, an Independent candidate from Bicholim, with Rs 59 crore assets, the report stated.