Haryana assembly polls: At 23%, AAP tops list of candidates with criminal cases

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has the highest 21 candidates with “criminal antecedents” who have entered the Haryana assembly election battleground, according to Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Know Your Candidate (KYC) application.

The AAP’s Nuh segment nominee Rabia Kidwai has declared “cheques dishonoured” in the brief description of offence column, while Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) nominee Sheela Nafe Singh Rathee (Bahadurgarh) has been facing four criminal cases under sections 420 (cheating) and 467 (forgery) of the Indian Penal Code.

There are at least eight cases lodged against Congress leader and former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. These cases are being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) for offences among others relating to criminal misconduct by a public servant.

Also booked by the ED is Surender Panwar, the Sonepat assembly segment candidate of the Congress, who is contesting election from prison.

Another high-profile Congress leader Dharam Singh Chhoker is facing a case registered by the economic offence wing Delhi.

The INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala has cases pertaining to assets disproportionate to known sources of income, while BJP’s five candidates with criminal cases are Anil Yadav (Kosli), Capt Abhimanyu (Narnaund), Vinod Bhayana (Hansi), Bhavya Bishnoi (Adampur) and Dhanesh Adlakha (Badkhal).

According to Haryana AAP president Sushil Gupta, most of the cases against AAP nominees in the fray pertain to the protests the party had organised against the state government.

“We continuously held a large number of demonstrations against the Haryana government across the state, highlighting issues concerning the public. Hence, cases were registered against AAP workers,” said Gupta pointing out that cases were registered against him also.

“All these cases are very minor in nature. There is no serious case registered against AAP candidates who are contesting the assembly elections.”

Among the total 1,031 candidates, 930 men and 101 women are in the fray for October 5 Haryana assembly elections of the 90-member assembly. Out of these 1,031 candidates, nearly 462 candidates (421 men and 41 women) have filled papers as Independents.

The ECI data shows that 119 candidates (about 12%), whose nomination papers have been found valid, have declared and given details in their affidavits about pending criminal cases against them.

At least 36% Independent candidates (43 out of 119) are among those with criminal background and striving to become law makers in Haryana.

After the AAP, the Congress has fielded the second highest 17 candidates with pending criminal cases followed by Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) eight out of 51 seats the party is contesting. INLD’s off- shoot Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) has six candidates with pending criminal cases. Bharatiya Janata Party has given tickets to five candidates having “criminal antecedents”.

Two nominees of the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) have pending criminal cases, while Sirsa segment MLA Gopal Kanda of Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) has been facing seven criminal cases.

The sitting Independent MLA of Meham Balraj Kundu, who has floated Haryana Jan Sevak Party, has also criminal cases pending against him. Farmer leader Gurnam Singh of Sanyukt Sangharsh Party’s Pehowa nominee has also declared that he is facing criminal cases.

At least 14 other candidates with criminal background are from political outfits like Bhartiya Sarvodaya Party, Rashtrawadi Janlok Party (Satya), Haryana Jan Sevak Party, Mission Ekta Party, Aazad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), Aam Aadmi Parivartan Party, Republican Party of India (A), Mission Ekta Party, Yuga Thulasi Party, Jan Sewak Kranti Party, Samta Party, Akhil Bhartiya Kisan Majdoor Party.

During the single phase polling on October 5, total 2,03,54,350 voters (1,07,75,957 men, 95,77,926 women, and 467 third-gender) will decide which party will rule Haryana.

As per the ECI, as many as 1,031 candidates have been left in the fray with the highest 89 in Hisar district. There were 1,351 candidates in 2014 assembly elections and 1,169 in 2019 assembly polls.