Bhubaneswar: As many as 17 crorepati candidates are in the race for four Lok Sabha constituencies, which will go for election in the first phase in Odisha on May 13, according to a report of ADR.
In its first report on elections in Odisha, Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) said 37 candidates have remained in fray for the Nabarangpur, Berhampur, Koraput and Kalahandi Lok Sabha segments, of which BJP candidate for Kalahandi LS seat, Malvika Devi is the richest person in the race for the first phase polls. The MP candidate has declared that she has assets of Rs 41.89 crore.
She was followed by independent candidate for Berhampur MP segment, V Chandra Shekhar (Rs 28.70 crore) and Bharatiya Bikash Parishad nominee for Berhampur, Rajendra Dalabehera (Rs 10.30 crore).
SUCI(C) candidate for Koraput MP seat, Pramila Pujari is the poorest candidate in the race. Pujari declared that she has assets of only Rs 20,625. Pradeep Kumar Panigrahy, BJP nominee for Berhampur LS segment, has highest liabilities worth Rs 3.82 crore.
As many as 17 (46%) candidates have declared their assets worth more than Rs 1 crore. All four candidates of BJP and BJD nominated for the LS seats are crorepatis while three crorepati candidates of Congress are also in the race. Besides, four independent candidates, one from Bharatiya Bikash Parishad and another from Naba Bharata Nirmana Seva Party have announced their properties worth over Rs 1 crore.
Similarly, 14 (38%) candidates have declared their educational qualification to be between 5th and 12th, while 22 (59%) candidates have declared having an educational qualification of graduate or above. One candidate has declared himself to be just literate. Out of 37 candidates, only seven are female.
Besides, 10 (27%) candidates have declared their age to be between 25 to 40 years while 23 (62%) candidates are in the age of 41 to 60 years. There are 4 (11%) candidates whose age is between 61 and 70 years.
As many as 7 (19%) candidates have declared criminal cases against themselves, of whom six are facing serious criminal charges, the report said.