Raipur: In the two phases of Chhattisgarh assembly elections, Congress has a higher proportion of candidates with criminal cases against them, than its main rival in the Bharatiya Janata Party.


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While both Congress and BJP have 90 candidates battling for political glory through the assembly polls, the former has 25 candidates with criminal cases against them, according to Chhattisgarh Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). This is 28% to 7% of the BJP which has six candidates with criminal cases against them. Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh, which has combined forces with BSP, has the highest proportion with 18 of its 56 candidates having criminal cases against them. BSP has fielded 34 candidates with only two having criminal cases against their name while 17 of 83 candidates of AAP fall in this category.


Overall, the ADR assessment of 1256 candidates reveals that 145 of them have criminal cases against them - a rise to 12% from 11% in the 2013 assembly elections here. There is also a rise of 1% in the number of candidates who have declared that they have serious criminal charges against them - 98 this year vs 66 in 2013. While BSP has 14 crorepati candidates in its total of 34, AAP has the lowest proportion with 13 of its 83 candidates with Rs 1 crore or more in assets.


In terms of financial assets of candidates, there has also been a rise in the number of crorepatis contesting the state elections this year. BJP leads the way with 74 of its 90 candidates being crorepatis while Congress only has one less at 73. Janta Congress Chhattisgarh follows close behind with 39 of its 56 candidates having declared assets or more than Rs 1 crore.


The average asset of candidates this year has fallen from the last election year in the state with the number now at Rs 1.68 crore. It was Rs 1.42 crore in 2013. The average assets of candidates in BJP is Rs 4.51 crore while its is highest in Congress at Rs 10.02 crore - TS Baba, who is contesting from Aambikapur constituency, has the highest declared asset of Rs 500 crore. Janta Congress Chhattisgarh candidates have an average asset of Rs 5.24 crores while the figure is Rs 1.11 crore in BSP. It is Rs 93.91 lakh in AAP.


While voting in the first phase of elections here is over, the second phase is scheduled to take place on November 20.