Bhopal: Nakul Nath has highest assets worth Rs 660 crore

Bhopal: Nakul Nath, Congress candidate from Chhindwara, has highest assets worth Rs 660 crore. Vivek Tankha with Rs 66 crore, and Ajay Singh with Rs 37 crore, stood second and third respectively. Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) released analysis of criminal background, financial, education, gender and other details of the candidates contesting in the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in MP. It has analysed affidavits of 104 out of total 108 candidates contesting from 6 constituencies in the first phase. Among prominent candidates, Riti Pathak BJP candidate from Sidhi, affidavit could not be analysed as it was not readable.

Congress candidate from Jabalpur, Vivek Tankha earns Rs 11.25 crore while Nakul Nath earns Rs 2 crore. Ajay Singh contesting from Sidhi has shown his income as Rs 27 lakh. State BJP president and candidate from Jabalpur, Rakesh Singh has assets worth Rs 4 crore and his annual income is Rs 6 lakh. Out of the 104 candidates, 25 (24%) candidates have assets worth more than Rs. 1 crore including 7 independent candidates, 5 from Congress and 4 from BJP. Overall, 55 (53%) candidates have declared their educational qualification to be between 5 to 12 class, while 41 (39%) candidates are graduate or above. 4 candidates have declared that they are just literate and 2 illiterate. Out of 104 candidates analysed, 14 (14%) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves.

Overall 8 (8%) candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves. BSP candidate from Balaghat Kankar Munjare has 6 cases pending against him. He has been convicted some cases, appeal for which has been filed in the higher courts. CPI candidate from Sidhi, Sanjay Namdeo has 4 cases including attempt to murder. Congress candidate from Sidhi, Ajay Singh has 2 cases against him. BJP candidate from Jabalpur Rakesh Singh has one case pending against him.