Maharashtra election: 1,007 crorepati candidates in fray, 59 have declared zero-assets

New Delhi: Down from 1,095 crorepatis in 2014, Maharashtra this time goes to the polls with 1,007 crorepati candidates, while 59 candidates have declared zero assets, according to a report prepared jointly by The Maharashtra Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Out of the 3,112 candidates from the 2019 Assembly polls analysed, 1,007 are crorepatis, the report said, adding "in 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections, out of 2,336 candidates, 1,095 were crorepatis."

Party wise, 155 out of 162 candidates surveyed from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were crorepatis.

"A total of 126 out of 147 candidates analysed from Congress, 116 out of 124 candidates analysed from Shiv Sena, 101 out of 116 candidates analysed from NCP and 52 out of 99 candidates from the MNS have declared assets worth more than Rs 1 crore," the report said.

The average of assets per candidate analysed in the Maharashtra Assembly Elections is Rs 4.21 crore.

"In 2014 Maharashtra Assembly Elections, average assets per candidate for 2,336 candidates analysed was Rs 4.65 crore."

The report says among major parties, the average assets per candidate for 162 BJP candidates is Rs 23.58 crores, for 147 Congress candidates is Rs 14.78 crores, while 124 Shiv Sena candidates have average assets of Rs 12.57 crore.

"The 116 NCP candidates have average assets worth Rs 11.43 crore, 99 MNS candidates have average assets worth Rs 2.29 crore and 1,359 Independent candidates have average assets worth Rs 1.71 crore," the report said.

Among the three richest candidates, the top two positions have been secured by the BJP while the third candidate is from Congress.

The Maharashtra Election Watch and ADR have analysed the self-sworn affidavits of 3,112 out of 3,237 candidates, who are contesting in the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

"There are 125 candidates who have not been analysed due to the unavailability of their complete and properly scanned affidavits on the Election Commission website at the time of making the report."

Maharashtra will go for Assembly elections on October 21.