Third Phase Poll Candidates: Eight Have Criminal Cases

GUWAHATI: The 54 candidates going to fight the four Lok Sabha constituencies going to the polls in the third phase on April 23 constitute a mosaic depicting their affluence, poverty, criminal cases pending against them, educational qualifications and whatnot.

The four constituencies are Gauhati, Barpata, Kokrajhar and Dhubri. According ADR (Association of Democratic Reforms) report, eight of the 54 candidates have criminal cases pending against them. They are Badruddin Ajmal and Rafiqul Islam of the AIUDF; Independent candidates Naba Sarania and Uttam Kumar Ray; Manoj Sarma of the AITC; Sadek Ali of the RPI, Kumar Deepak Das of the AGP and Abu Taher Bepari of the Congress.

On the affluence of the candidates, the ADR report says that Badruddin Ajmal is the richest showing assets worth Rs 78 crore, followed by Queen Oja with assets worth Rs 63 crore and Junmoni Devi Khound with Rs 34 crore. From the lowest rung, while Nripen Das showed assets worth Rs 60,000, Mamoni Sarma showed Rs 61,000 and Uttam Kumar Ray showed Rs 63,000. Twelve of the 54 candidates in fray in this phase of the poll, according to the report, are crorepatis.

On the education front, one of the candidates has cleared only Class-VIII, nine have cleared Class-X, six have cleared class-XII, 16 are graduates, 14 are postgraduates and three are other degree holders.

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