Third phase of UP polls: 11 candidates accused of crimes against women

At least 11 candidates in fray in the third phase of UP elections, are those against whom cases have been registered for committing crime against women. Of the 11 'tainted' candidates, two have been facing rape charges whereas two others are involved in murder cases.

Lucknow: UP Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) after delving into the antecedents of candidates, has come up with startling revelations. At least 11 candidates in fray in the third phase of UP elections, are those against whom cases have been registered for committing crime against women. Of the 11 'tainted' candidates, two have been facing rape charges whereas two others are involved in murder cases. Out of 623 candidates in the third phase of UP elections, cases have been lodged against 135 candidates. 103 of them have been charged with serious offences.

Ironically, in the third phase of Uttar Pradesh elections, 96 women candidates (15%) are in fray, which is the highest so far. In third phase, Samajwadi Party has the highest number of tainted candidates (30 out of 58). BJP is on the second spot (25 out of 55), BSP on third (23 out of 59), Congress on fourth (20 out of 56), whereas Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has 11 candidates out of 49 who are under the lens of the law.

Among the list of frontrunners having criminal cases registered against them, Congress candidate from Farrukhabad seat Louis Khurshid is topping the chart with 17 cases in his kitty, whereas Samajwadi Party candidate from Firozabad Saifur Rahman is on the second spot. Altogether 12 criminal cases have been registered against Rahman. On the third spot is Samajwadi Etah candidate Jogendra Singh Yadav. He is facing 11 criminal cases.

Both the organizations also conducted a study on assets, which revealed that of the 623 candidates in fray for the third phase, at least 245 are crorepatis (millionaires) and among the political parties, Samajwadi has the highest number of candidates with millionaires tag. The party has 52 candidates crorepatis out of 58. BJP is on the second spot (48 out of 55). BSP on the third spot (46 out of 59), Congress on the fourth position (29 out of 56) and AAP is on the fifth position (18 out of 49).