Chandigarh: The campaign for the upcoming Haryana Assembly Elections is gaining momentum as candidates from major political parties seek to engage voters ahead of the polls scheduled for October 5. A total of 1,031 candidates are contesting for the 90 seats in the Haryana Assembly. An analysis conducted by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) reveals intriguing details about the candidates, highlighting significant trends in wealth and criminal records.
Key Findings from the ADR Report:
- Wealthy Candidates: Of the 1,028 candidates who filed nominations, 538 (52%) are millionaires. This marks an increase from 42% of millionaire candidates in the 2019 assembly elections.
- Breakdown of Millionaire Candidates:
- 184 independents
- 85 from BJP
- 84 from Congress
- 46 from JJP
- 34 from INLD
- 52 from AAP
- 18 from BSP
- Richest Candidates:
- Captain Abhimanyu, BJP candidate from Narnaund constituency, tops the list with assets valued at ₹491 crores.
- Congress candidate Rohas Singh, contesting from Sohna, follows closely with assets worth ₹484 crores.
- Savitri Jindal, also from Hisar, has assets exceeding ₹270 crores.
- Criminal Records: Among the candidates, 133 individuals (13%) have criminal cases registered against them, with 95 of these (9%) facing serious criminal charges.
- Educational Background:
- 209 candidates hold graduate degrees.
- 152 have postgraduate degrees.
- 15 candidates possess doctoral qualifications.
- 201 candidates have completed only up to the tenth grade, while 15 candidates are illiterate.
- Gender Representation: Out of the total candidates, 928 are men, whereas only 100 are women.
- Asset Distribution:
- 277 candidates (27%) report assets exceeding ₹5 crores.
- 136 candidates (13%) have assets between ₹2 crores and ₹5 crores.
- 22% of candidates fall within the ₹50 lakh to ₹2 crores range.
- 19% possess assets between ₹10 lakh and ₹50 lakh.
As the election date approaches, the focus on the profiles of candidates raises questions about the influence of wealth and background on the electoral process in Haryana.
