Hike in p.c. of candidates with criminal cases

Like the stature and asset value, the criminal cases record against candidates in major political parties too have gone up in comparison to last Parliamentary polls in 2014. Both the major political alliances in the state have nominated more number of candidates with declared criminal cases for the April 18 Lok Sabha polls.

The DMK-led alliance has fielded most candidates with criminal cases as 19 candidates have declared cases pending against them in their affidavits while the TTV Dhinakaran-led AMMK-SDPI alliance has nominated 12 candidates with criminal cases.

The AIADMK-led alliance has fielded 11 candidates with declared criminal cases against them.

Among the individual parties, AMMK has nominated maximum number of candidates – 11 with criminal cases. DMK has come second with 10 out of their 20 candidates declaring criminal cases against them while its ally nominated five candidates with criminal cases.

In the AIADMK alliance, PMK has four candidates with criminal cases, while the DMDK has three out of its four candidates with cases.

When compared to the 2014 Lok Sabah polls, there is a steep rise in the number of candidates with declared criminal cases nominated by the major political parties.

The DMDK, which had fielded 36 per cent of candidates with criminal records in 2014 has nominated 75 per cent in this year’s polls while the DMK’s candidates with criminal cases has increased from 18 per cent in 2014 to 50 per cent.

PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss, who is contesting again from Dharmapuri constituency tops the list with 12 criminal cases which is the highest number of cases among all the candidates of the three major fronts. Out of the 12 cases, two cases were booked under the Prevent of Corruption act by the CBI for violation in granting renewal for medical college approval.

AMMK’s Thangatamilselvan (Theni LS seat) and Puthiya Tamizhagam president Dr K Krishnasamy (Tenkasi) come second with nine cases pending against them. DMK’s Kanimozhi and A Raja and Congress Karti Chidambaram have six criminal cases against them.

According to the Association of Democratic Reforms data, seven out of the 39 MPs from Tamil Nadu in 2014 had declared criminal cases against them. Of the seven MPs, four have declared serious criminal cases against them. During that elections, the AIADMK which won 37 Lok Sabha seats had six MPs with criminal records.

Out of the 844 candidates analysed by the ADR in 2014, 103 candidates (12 per cent) have declared criminal cases against themselves. 53 candidates (6 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases relating to murder, attempt to murder,kidnapping etc.