18 Per Cent Nominees In Second Phase Of West Bengal Polls Have Criminal Cases

Kolkata: A total of 18 percent candidates fighting in the second phase of West Bengal Assembly polls have criminal cases against them, meaning as many as 68 of the 383 candidates contesting in the second phase of the West Bengal assembly polls have declared criminal cases, including serious offences like murder and rape.

According to a report released by West Bengal Election Watch (WBEW) on Wednesday, at least 56 nominees —or 15 percent of the total candidates — are ‘crorepatis’. Former India football captain and Trinamool candidate from Siliguri Baichung Bhutia, with declared assets in excess of Rs. 17.41 crore, is the richest one in this phase.

A total of 56 constituencies spread across the five districts of Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar, Darjeeling, Malda and Birbhum will go to the hustings on April 17 in the second phase. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the ruling Trinamool Congress with 13 each, have the most numbers of candidates facing criminal charges, followed by the Communist Party of India-Marxist with 11 and the Congress with six candidates.

Five candidates have declared six cases of attempt to murder in their affidavits filed before the Election Commission. The report also reveals that reveals that 136 serious criminal cases are pending against 59 of the contesting candidates, with the pendency period of the cases ranging from two years to 16 years.

The 56 constituencies that will go on poll on April 17 are Kumargram, Kalchini, Alipurduars, Falakata, Madarihat, Dhupguri, Maynaguri, Jalpaiguri, Rajganj, Dabgram-Fulbari, Mal, Nagrakata, Kalimpong, Darjeeling, Kurseong, Matigara-Naxalbari, Siliguri, Phansidewa, Chopra, Islampur, Goalpokhar, Chakulia, Karandighi, Hemtabad, Kaliaganj, Raiganj, Itahar, Kushmandi, Kumarganj, Balurghat, Tapan, Gangarampur, Harirampur, Habibpur, Gazole, Chanchal, Harishchandrapur, Malatipur, Ratua, Manikchak, Maldaha, English Bazar, Mothabari, Sujapur, Baisnabnagar, Dubrajpur, Suri, Bolpur, Nanoor, Labpur, Sainthia, Mayureswar, Rampurhat, Hansan, Nalhati and Murarai.