Bihar elections are looming and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (U) led by Nitish Kumar, the RJD led by the irrepressible Lalu Yadav, Congress as yet faceless, even though Vice President Rahul Gandhi is leading the poll campaign, to various other parties and combinations are vying with each other for the top prize – the chance to rule the state. While you may know the top leaders, who are the other movers and shakers who earned their parties nod to contest the polls for the honourable position of a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA)? Here we feature all the statistics that you always wanted to know except were too scared to ask knowing fully well what would get exposed. Nevertheless, here is all you need to know about Bihar’s future rulers in 10 easy to digest points:
1. Overarching Numbers
There are 583 contenders in the fray for 49 assembly seats in the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections on 12 October. The Grand Alliance has the Janata Dal (U) contesting 24 seats, the RJD 17 and the Indian National Congress 8. The NDA alliance is between the BJP (27), the LJP (13) and the HAM under Jitan Ram Manjhi. Independents (192) account for 22% of the total candidates in the fray.
2. Rich candidates
Binod Kumar Singh, an independent contesting from Warisnagar (Samastipur district) is the richest with assets worth Rs 74 crore (including immovable assets worth Rs 67 crore). The JD(U) candidate from Khagaria is next in line with Rs 41 crore, followed by Ajeet Kumar from Bhagalpur (Congress) with Rs 40 crore in assets.
A quarter of the candidates (146) have assets of over Rs 1 crore. That includes 19 of the 24 JD (U) candidates (79%) in the fray; 18 of the 27 BJP candidates (67%); 11 of the 17 RJD candidates (65%); 42 of the 192 independents (22%).
Average asset base: 1.44 crore.
3. Poorest candidates
Suresh Sada of Bhartiya Janhit Party contesting from Bakhri constiruency in Begusarai and Pradeep Rajbanshi of the Moolniwasi Samaj Party contesting from Hisua in Nawada district have zero assets.
Yogeshwar Manjhi and independent from Barbigha constituency in Sheikhpura district is marginally better off with Rs 954 in movable assets.
4. Party wise candidates assets
18 SP candidates: Rs 78.27 lakh
192 independents: Rs 1.23 crore
41 BSP candidates: Rs 1.63 crore
27 BJP candidates: Rs 2.15 crore
13 LJP candidates: Rs 2.7 crore
17 RJD candidates: Rs 4.08 crore
24 JD (U): Rs 4.63 crore
8 Congress candidates: Rs 8 crore
5. Criminal track record
In the first phase, Bihar has 174 (30%) candidates with criminal cases against them. That includes 16 with murder cases and 37 with attempt to murder cases against them.
Pradeep Kumar of the Janata Dal (U) from Warsaliganj leads with four charges related to murder.
6. Red alert constituencies
Out of the 49 constituencies, there are 37 that have at least three candidates with criminal records. Mohiuddinnagar leads with 9 candidates (including four independents) with criminal records.
7. Candidates having no PAN details
218 contestants (37%) have not declared PAN details. Interestingly, that includes nine candidates with assets of over Rs 1 crore.
8. Educational qualifications
Qualifications : Number
10th Pass: 108
12th Pass: 143
Graduate: 124
Graduate Professional: 44
Post graduate: 63
Doctorate: 10
9. Age group : Candidates
25-30 : 63
31-40 : 177
41-50 : 178
51-60 : 94
61-70 : 92
71-80 : 11
80 plus : 2
10. Those who have/have not filed Income Tax Returns
(Source: Association For Democratic Reforms)