New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS) The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has said in its report that out of the 80 candidates contesting in the upcoming by-elections in Gujarat, 20 or 25 per cent are millionaires.
The average assets per candidate are Rs 1.16 crore.
Among the major parties, the average assets per candidate for 8 Congress candidates analysed is Rs 4.38 crore, and for the 8 Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates analysed it is Rs 2.52 crore, two Bhartiya Tribal Party candidates have average assets of Rs 17.85 lakh and 53 Independent candidates have average assets of Rs 70.52 lakhs.
The top 3 candidates with the highest declared assets contesting the bypolls, are Thumar Piyushkumar Babubhai from Dhari in Amreli district — an independent candidate with assets worth Rs 14 crore, Jayantilal Jerajbhai Patel from Morbi, a Congress candidate with properties worth Rs 10 crore, and Mohanbhai Shankarbhai Solanki contesting from Gadhada in Botad district and also a Congress candidate has assets worth Rs 8 crore.
Thirty nine — about 49 per cent of the candidates, have declared liabilities in their affidavits, with Padyar Hanif Jakab from Abdasa declaring a liability of Rs 6 crore.
Forty nine (61 per cent) candidates have declared their educational qualification to be between 5th and 12th standard while 20 (25 per cent) candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. Five candidates are literates. There are 3 candidates who are illiterate, and 3 others are diploma holders.
As per ADR, twenty nine (36%) candidates have declared their age to be between 25 to 40 years while 38 (48%) candidates have declared their age to be between 41 to 60 years.
There are 13 (16%) candidates who have declared their age to be between 61 to 70 years.
Only three (4%) female candidates are contesting in the Gujarat assembly bypolls.
–IANS
miz/pgh/bg