Chhattisgarh polls – First Phase: 10% candidates have criminal charges against them

Raipur, November 01

It seems the political parties cannot fancy contesting polls without candidates facing criminal charges as despite their claim of fighting future democratic battles with clean-imaged warriors they could not help getting tempted by glamour of law violators. While stage is set for first round of polls in Chhattisgarh slated to be held on November 11, the political parties have once again shown trust on distrusted lot as 10% of total candidates in fray have criminal charges, thanks to their habit of committing same mistake every now and then.

In first phase, 143 candidates will contest in 18 constituencies including 12 seats of Bastar division and six of Rajnandgaon district. According to affidavits of these candidates, 15 (or 10%) have declared criminal cases against them. Out of these 15, six are facing serious criminal charges including murder, kidnapping, criminal intimidation and crime against women.

The BJP’s sitting MLA Mahesh Kumar Gagda from Bijapur constituency has declared murder charge against him. He had contested 2008 assembly polls with same charges.

The two prominent parties, ruling BJP and principal opposition Congress, have fielded total five candidates with criminal charges in first phase. While the BJP has given ticket to 17% candidates, i.e. three out of 18, the Congress has given chance to 11% candidates, i.e. two out of 18.

The BSP too is contesting in all 18 seats and its share of criminal faces is 11%, i.e. two candidates. Besides, the SP has given ticket to one out of its five candidates in fray and its share of criminal faces is 20%.

The three BJP candidates who appear in the list of 15 with criminal charges are Mahesh Kumar Gagda, Komal Janghel and Bhimaram Mandavi. Besides, Gagda, both Janghel and Mandavi are sitting MLAs. In 2008 polls, Mandavi too was in the club of tainted faces.

The two Congress candidates with criminal record are Vikram Mandavi and Girwar Janghel. Both the candidates are new faces in the party.

In addition, the other candidates among 15 include Paras Lal Ganghel, Arvind Kumar Nandeshwar (both from BSP), Madhu Mourya (from SP), Rajesh Gupta, Madhukar Banjare, Hemlal Markam, Raja Ram Todem, Vijay Pandey, Manish Kunjam and Ramesh Netam (all from different parties).