Congress-led Chhattisgarh Assembly has 68 crorepatis and 24 MLAs with criminal cases

RAIPUR: The Congress-led Chhattisgarh Assembly has 68 crorepati legislators and 24 candidates with declared criminal cases, stated a recent report by Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and Chhattisgarh Election Watch (CEW). 

“24 (100%) out of 24 winners with declared criminal cases have won against runners up with a clean background,” says the report.

Among these 24 winners, six have won with more than 20 per cent margin of victory, including Congress candidate Dwarikadhish Yadav from Khallari constituency who won with a victory margin of 34 per cent.  

Out of 68 crorepati winners, 17 won against non-crorepati runners up including two who won with more than 30 per cent margin of victory.

The 90-member house has 13 women MLAs. “None of the women winners has won with less than 30 % of Vote share. Among the women winners, Dr. Lakshmi Dhruw (INC) from Sihava Constituency has won with the highest vote share, i.e. 56% in her constituency. She has won with 47% representativeness and 29% of margin of victory,” said the report.

The 2018 Chhattisgarh Assembly Elections witnessed 61 parties and independents in the fray. These included six national parties, four regional parties, and 51 registered unrecognized parties. In comparison, during the 2013 Chhattisgarh State Assembly elections, 45 parties were in the fray. These included six national parties, five regional parties, and 34 registered unrecognized parties. “This reflects that there has been 36% increase in the number of political parties that contested in 2018 from 2013,” says the report.

Overall voter’s turnout for the Chhattisgarh Assembly 2018 was 76.8 per cent whereas voter’s turnout in 2013 assembly elections was 77.5 per cent.

The winners of the state polls won by an average of 46 per cent of total votes polled. “Out of 15 winners of BJP, 12(80%) won with less than 50 % of total votes polled in their constituencies. 36(53%) out of 68 winners from INC; 2(100%) out of 2 winners from BSP and 4(80%) out of 5 winners from Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) have won with less than 50% of total votes polled in their constituency,” it adds.

The two-phased Chhattisgarh polls, which took place on November 12 and 20, 2018, saw the Congress surging back to power after 15 years with a two-third majority, winning 68 seats in the 90-member House.

The BJP, which was in power in the state since 2003, was reduced to just 15 seats.