Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe LUCKNOW, India, April 10 (UPI) -- A feature of assembly elections in India's largest state is the sizeable percentage of candidates with alleged criminal backgrounds. The northern state of Uttar Pradesh, with a population of about 170 million, began the election process last Saturday. Because of the sheer size of the state and its endemic lawlessness, elections to its 403-seat assembly are being conducted in seven phases lasting about a month. Advertisement Thousands of candidates representing political parties of all shades are vying for the seats and they include a large number who have criminal charges pending against them. The election monitoring group Uttar Pradesh Election Watch said the Bahujan Samaj Party, representing the so-called lower castes, has fielded the maximum number of candidates facing various criminal charges, or about 33 percent of its total slate, The Press Trust of India news agency reported. The BJP, the main opposition to India's ruling Congress-led coalition, was second with 27.03 percent of its candidates facing charges. The monitoring group, which analyzed the affidavits filed with the candidates' nominations papers, said the state's ruling Samajwad Party came third with 26.5 per cent. The Congress Party was next with 20.17 percent. Advertisement
