Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024: 829 Crorepatis And 1,199 Candidates With Criminal Cases

Ahead of the upcoming Maharashtra state elections, a new report reveals that nearly one-third of candidates contesting the polls have criminal cases pending against them. According to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), 29 per cent of the 4,136 candidates, which translates to 1,199 individuals, are facing criminal charges.

Among candidates from national and state-level parties, the figures are even higher. The report indicates that 45 per cent of candidates from national parties and 60 per cent from state-level parties have pending cases.

Photo Credit: ADR X

BJP Leads In Candidates With Criminal Records

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tops the list, with 68 per cent of its 149 candidates facing criminal charges. The Shiv Sena (UBT) follows closely with 66 per cent, while 59 per cent of Congress candidates, 52 per cent from the Shiv Sena, and 54 per cent from the NCP have similar records. The figures for the NCP-SP alliance stand at 51 per cent.

These statistics are drawn from an analysis of 2,201 candidates out of the total 4,136 contesting across Maharashtra's 288 assembly constituencies.

Crimes Against Women and Serious Charges

The report highlights that crimes against women are the most common category, with 50 candidates facing such charges. Additionally, six candidates have been accused of murder, while 39 are facing charges of attempted murder.

Wealthiest Candidates Revealed

The ADR report also sheds light on the wealth of the candidates. It found that 38 per cent (829 candidates) are crorepatis. Topping the list is Parag Shah from Ghatkopar East, who has declared assets worth Rs 3,383 crore. He is followed by Prashant Thakur from Panvel with assets of Rs 475 crore, and Mangal Prabhat Lodha from Malabar Hill with Rs 447 crore in assets. All three belong to the BJP.

On the other end of the spectrum, 26 candidates, mostly Independents, have declared zero assets.

Top Earners By Income

Regarding income, Parag Shah leads again with a declared income of Rs 44 crore, followed by Muzaffar Hussain and Rohit Pawar, each with Rs 23 crore as per their Income Tax returns for the financial year 2023-24.

Party-wise, the BJP has the highest percentage of crorepatis at 97 per cent, closely followed by the Sena (UBT) at 95 per cent.

Increasing Trend Of Wealth And Criminal Backgrounds In Politics

Commenting on these findings, Jagdeep Chhokar, founder member of ADR, noted, "The percentage of elected representatives who are crorepatis and have pending criminal cases is increasing with every election." He added that, across India, the proportion of Lok Sabha MPs with criminal cases has risen from 25 per cent in 2004 to 46 per cent in 2024.