First Phase Polls: Criminal Cases Against 11 LS, 90 Assembly Candidates In Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Eleven Lok Sabha candidates and 90 Assembly candidates in the first phase of polls in Odisha have criminal cases against them, says a joint study by the Odisha Election Watch and the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

According to the study, 26 candidates are in the fray from Berhampur, Kalahandi, Koraput and Nabarangpur Lok Sabha seats of which six candidates (23 per cent) have criminal cases and five (19 per cent) have serious criminal cases against them. The five candidates facing serious criminal cases are Pradip Majhi-Nabarangpur (Congress), Bhrugu Buxipatra-Berhampur (BJP), Rajendra Kendruka-Koraput (CPI-ML Red Star), Basant Panda-Kalahandi (BJP) and Bhakta Charan Das-Kalahandi (Congress).

In the Assembly segment, a total of 191 candidates are in the fray for 28 Assembly seats in the first phase of which a study has been carried out on 189 candidates.

Of the 189 candidates, 55 (29 per cent) have criminal cases against them while 35 (19 per cent) have serious criminal cases against them. Among the 35 candidates facing serious criminal cases, six are from the BJD, 10 from the Congress, 8 from the BJP, one each from the CPI-ML, Samata Kranti Dal and BSP and 8 are Independents.

Mentioned below are the names of the 35 candidates facing serious criminal cases:

1. Siva Shankar Das-Berhampur (Independent)
2. Manoranjan Dyan Samantara-Chikiti (BJP)
3. Durga Prasad Mohanty-Narla (Independent)
4. Tara Prasad Bahinipati-Jeypore (Congress)
5. Bhujabala Majhi-Dabugan (Congress)
6. Basant Kumar Ullaka-Rayagada (BJP)
7. Ghasiram Majhi-Nuapada (Congress)
8. Bibhuti Bhusan Jena-Gopalpur (BJP)
9. Saroj Panda-Chikiti (Independent)
10. Manoranjan Randhari-Dabugan (BJD)
11. Damodar Raita-Mohana (Independent)
12. Jitendra Jakaka-Bissam Cuttack (BSP)
13. Rabindra Kumar Pattjoshi-Dharmagarh (Independent)
14. Sadan Nayak-Nabarangpur (Congress)
15. Dibya Shankar Mishra-Junagarh (BJD)
16. Manoj Kumar Meher-Junagarh (BJP)
17. Siba Shankar Ullaka-Bissam Cuttack-(BJP)
18. Bharat Tripathy-Nuapada (Samata Kranti Dal)
19. Subash Gond-Umerkote (BJD)
20. K Surya Rao-Paralakhemundi (Congress)
21. Tirupati Panigrahi- Paralakhemundi (Independent)
22. Jadumani Panigrahi-Nuapada (Independent)
23. Digambar Duria-Dharmagarh (Congress)
24. Kadraka Appalaswami-Rayagada (Congress)
25. Nityananda Gond-Umerkote (BJP)
26. Krushna Kuldip-Koraput (Congress)
27. Jacob Karjee-Mohana (CPI-ML)
28. Krushna Chandra Jani-Pottangi (Independent)
29. Raghuram Padal-Koraput (BJD)
30. Gautam Samantray-Jeypore (BJP)
31. Mausadhi Bag-Dharmagarh (BJD)
32. Jagannath Saraka-Bissam Cuttack (BJD)
33. Prafulla Panda-Digapahandi (Congress)
34. Dasarathi Gamango-Mohana (Congress)
35. Pinki Pradhan-Digapahandi (BJP)