More than 3,000 nominations were filed for the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections to be held for 102 seats across 21 states on April 19. The list of names includes union ministers Nitin Gadkari and Nisith Pramanik and major Tamil Nadu politicians as the state will have single-phase polling for all 39 Lok Sabha seats.
The total number of candidates in the fray for the first phase will be less than the total nominations as the list also includes multiple affidavits filed by many candidates. Further, there will also be rejections of candidature.
As of 2 pm on Thursday, 41 applications were rejected and 331 were accepted. The process of submitting nominations began last week with Thursday kept for scrutiny of papers. The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is March 30.
Tamil Nadu
Out of the 102 Lok Sabha seats across India going for polls in the first phase, 39 are in Tamil Nadu alone. At least 1,403 candidates filed 1,747 affidavits in the state.
The list of big leaders taking part in the battle includes TTV Dhinakaran, the founder of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam – a breakaway faction of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam – former chief minister and former AIADMK member O Panneerselvam.
Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai and former governor of Telangana Tamilisai Soundararajan. From DMK those in the fray are Kanimozhi, A Raja, and Dayanidhi Maran.
O Panneerselvam is an independent candidate from Ramanathapuram. Four more candidates with the same name are contesting for the seat.
Dhinakaran, contesting from Theni, has declared movable assets worth Rs 19.82 lakh and immovable assets worth Rs 57.44 lakh. He owns no gold. As per his affidavit, he passed class 12 an later discontinued his BE (Civil Engineering) course. He is facing six criminal cases.
On the other hand, Raja is facing seven criminal cases, including in the alleged 2G spectrum scam. He owns no immovable assets. The worth of his movable assets stood at Rs 3.73 crore. Contesting from Nilgiris, Raja has completed a Bachelor of Science and Law course.
BJP’s Annamalai, who filed his affidavit in Tamil language for the Coimbatore seat, says that he is facing 24 FIRs and holds an MBA degree.
Soundararajan, contesting from Chennai South, does not have any criminal cases against her, as per her documents. She owns moveable assets worth Rs 1.57 crore and holds an MBBS degree.
Maharashtra
Five Lok Sabha seats in the state will be going for polls on April 19, including Nagpur which will be in the limelight for its candidate Nitin Gadkari who is aiming for a third term.
The Congress has fielded its MLA from Nagpur West, Vikas Thakre, against Gadkari.
Gadkari, holding BCom and LLB degrees, is facing 10 criminal cases, up from four in 2014, as per his affidavits from the respective years. He owns movable assets worth Rs 1.32 crore, up from Rs 86.16 lakh in 2014. The worth of his immovable assets stood at Rs 4.95 crore, up from 3.78 crore in 2014.
Gadkari and his wife owned gold worth Rs 21.96 lakh and Rs 10.80 lakh in 2014 respectively which have increased to Rs 31.88 lakh and Rs 24.13 lakh as of now. The worth of his wife’s movable assets stood at Rs 1.24 crore, up from Rs 63.88 lakh in 2014.
Thakre, a BCom graduate, is facing four criminal cases and has movable assets worth Rs 1.29 crore and immovable assets worth Rs 69.10 lakh.
West Bengal
In West Bengal, 42 candidates filed 65 nominations. The list includes union minister Nisith Pramanik. As per his documents, he is facing 14 criminal cases, owns movable assets worth Rs 49.22 lakh, and immovable assets worth Rs 43 lakh. Pramanik, who is passed class 10, is contesting from Cooch Behar. He will be facing TMC nominee Jagadish Chandra Barma Basunia and 16 other candidates.
Basunia is facing one criminal case. The BA degree holder owns movable assets worth Rs 89.46 lakh.
Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh
Eight seats in Uttar Pradesh will be going for polls. More than 200 nominations were filed in the state.
In Chhattisgarh, a single seat is going for polls – Bastar. A total of 18 nominations were filed for the seat, including by the BJP and Congress.
BJP’s Mahesh Kashyap will be facing Congress leader Kawasi Lakhma here. The two leaders are not facing any criminal cases. Tribal leader Lakhma is literate and has movable assets worth Rs 25 lakh. Kashyap has cleared class nine and owns moveable assets worth Rs 13.28 lakh.
The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases. The first phase will cover the highest number of seats.