Author: Preetam Srivastava
Publication: The Pioneer
Date: May 3, 2009
URL: http://www.dailypioneer.com/173634/Money-power-may-muscle-into-4th-phase-of-poll.html
The first three phases of Lok Sabha election
in Uttar Pradesh may have passed off peacefully, but the real challenge before
law-enforcing agencies would come in the fourth phases due to the presence
of several Bahubalis in the fray.
Eight of the 18 constituencies which would
go to poll on May 7 come under the 'Red Alert' zone as three or more criminals
are testing their (muscle) power on each one of them. In Ghaziabad, from where
BJP president Rajnath Singh is contesting, as many as seven history-sheeters
are trying their luck.
What makes the peace-keeping job more difficult
for the administration is that the ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has left
behind the others in using both 'muscle power' and 'money power'. The party
has fielded seven alleged criminals and 14 crorepatis among the total of 18
candidates in the fray in this phase.
According to the data made available by the
Uttar Pradesh Election Watch (UPEW) in association with the Association for
Democratic Reforms (ADR), Ghaziabad has been declared 'Red Alert' constituency,
Gautam Budh Nagar has six criminals in the fray, Ferozabad and Meerut five
each, Baghpat 4, and Aligarh, Etah and Farrukabad three each.
Apart from the BSP which has fielded seven
alleged criminals in this phase, the Samajwadi Party is fighting the battle
of ballot with four candidates with criminal background. The BJP and Congress
have fielded three candidates each with criminal past.
The data also showed that of the total 49
history-sheeters who were contesting in this phase, 30 were charged with heinous
crimes including murder, kidnapping and attempt on life. Even in this category,
it was the party in power which has half a dozen candidates with heinous crimes
registered against their names. Eight hard-crore criminals who failed to get
support of any party are also testing their clout as independent candidates.
The importance of money power can be gauged
from the fact that almost all parties have fielded crorepatis. The BSP is
ahead with 14 crorepati candidates, followed by BJP's 11 and the Congress
and SP 10 each. Interestingly, while the average income of BSP candidates
in this phase is Rs 16 crore, the Nav Bharat Nirman Party (NBNP) - which has
fielded two candidates - also shares the top honours with an average income
of Rs 16 crore. The average income of the Samajwadi Party and BJP candidates
is Rs 3 crore each; followed by the Congress that has just Rs 2 crore as average
income.
The richest candidate in this phase is Surendra
Singh Nagar of BSP from Gautam Budh Nagar, having a total income of over Rs
138 crore. The BSP candidate from Meerut has a total income of more than Rs
85 crore whereas Anwar Ahmed, contesting on an NBNP ticket from Ghaziabad,
has total assets of over Rs 32 crore. Kunwar Devendra, also a BSP candidate
from Etah, is placed fourth with assets worth Rs 20 crore.
Mahesh Kumar of the BJP and Zafar Alam of
SP boasted of total income of Rs 15 crore each while Raj Babbar of the Congress
and Mithlesh Kumari of BJP have assets of Rs 10 crore each. Eight candidates
having less than Rs 20,000 on them are also in the fray.
