130 candidates with criminal background in fray for Ph I of UP poll

Lucknow, Mar 29 (UNI) A total of 130 candidates out of 785 in fray for phase I of Uttar Pradesh assembly elections have criminal records, a group of eminent citizens said today.

According to UP Election Watch (UPEW), 130 or 16.56 per cent of the total candidates in fray have criminal cases pending against them. Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leads the rally with 22 of its 62 candidates having criminal records.

In BJP, the figure stands at 16 (out of 54 candidates), Congress comes third with 15 of the 62 candidates having criminal record. The ruling Samajwadi Party has 19 candidates with a criminal record. SP has fielded 61 candidates in phase I.

The UPEW claimed that out of the 130 candidates, 18 have been booked for murder, 52 for attempted murder, 60 for intimidation and 22 for forgery of various forms.

Addressing reporters here, UPEW chairman and former UP police chief Ishwar Chandra Dwivedi and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) chairman Prof Trilochan Shastri said despite claims by political parties of fielding candidates with a clean image, criminals have been issued ticket.

The UPEW demanded that political parties fielde candidates with a clean image in the next six phases of assembly elections.

The two groups have sent the report of their findings to the Election Commission of India (ECI). ''The ECI is doing a wonderful job in UP. We hope people get good representatives in the next assembly,'' they added.

UNI