New Delhi, Nov 8 (IANS) 

Twelve percent of the candidates - 98 in number - contesting in the second phase of the assembly elections in Chhattisgarh have criminal charges against them, while 22 percent are billionaires.

This was revealed Friday in an analysis of affidavits by the Chhattisgarh Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms.

The two groups analysed the affidavits of 840 candidates out of 843 contesting in 72 constituencies in the second phase of the assembly elections.

Of the 840 candidates analysed, 98 candidates have declared criminal cases pending against them and 60 are facing serious criminal cases, including murder, attempt to murder, kidnapping and crime against women.

Party wise, 16 of 72 candidates fielded by the Congress have declared criminal cases against them while 10 out of 72 candidates from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and 12 out of 71 candidates from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and nine out of 43 candidates from the Chhattisgarh Swabhiman Manch have declared criminal cases against them.

When it comes to money, of the 840 candidates, 188 are billionaires.

The average assets per candidate contesting in the second phase of the assembly elections is Rs.1.56 crore.

The top three candidates with the highest declared assets are Tribhuneshwar Sharan Singh Dev of the Congress from Ambikapur constituency with declared assets worth Rs.561.5 crore.

He is followed by Raja Surendra Bahadur Singh of the Gondwana Ganatantra Party from Sakti constituency with assets worth Rs.46.1 crore, and Rajkamal Singhania of the Congress from Kasdol constituency with assets worth Rs.33.31 crore.

Meanwhile, 367 of the 840 candidates have not declared details of their income tax Permanent Account Number (PAN).

In the first phase of polls in Chhattisgarh, of 143 candidates contesting in the polls, 15 candidates (10 percent) have declared criminal cases against them while 25 (17 percent) are crorepatis.

The first phase of polls will be held Nov 11 and the second phase Nov 19.