322 of new UP MLAs crorepatis, 143 face criminal cases

NEW DELHI: A whopping 322 of the 403 new lawmakers elected to the Uttar Pradesh assembly are 'crorepatis' (multi-millionaires) while as many as 143 have criminal cases, including of murder, pending against them. According to a report by the National Election Watch, the list of multi-millionaires elected members is headed by the Bharatiya Janata Party's Ajay Pratap Singh elected from Colonelganj constituency in Gonda. Singh, who in his poll affidavit declares himself as a farmer, possesses properties worth over Rs 49 crore. That includes 60 kg of gold, seven vehicles and six guns, three each in his name and his wife's. As many as 1,455 multi-millionaires contested the assembly polls, the results of which were declared on Saturday. Of the 143 new legislaors who have declared pending criminal cases against them, 107 face serious charges including of murder and crimes against women. Mafia-don-turned politician Mukhtar Ansari of the Bahujan Samaj Party leads the pack of new legislators with criminal antecedents. Elected from Mau, Ansari has 16 criminal cases against him, and that includes five charges of murder. Of the total 4,853 candidates who contested the polls, 860 had declared that criminal cases were pending in courts against them. On the gender side, among the newly elected legislators only 40 are female. Of the total 4,853 contestants, only 479 were women -- less than 10 per cent. Nearly 72 per cent or 290 of the legislators are graduates or more educated.