Eight Bihar Ministers Have Pending Criminal Cases: ADR

New Delhi, 19 Nov 2020 [Fik/News Sources]: Eight of the newly sworn-in Ministers in Bihar have declared criminal cases against themselves in their poll affidavits, said Bihar Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Of the 14 Ministers whose affidavits were analysed, six (43 per cent) have declared serious criminal cases against themselves, including two of BJP, two of JD-U and one each of HAM and VIP, they said.

These elections watchdogs said the finding was based on an analysis of the self-sworn affidavits of 14 Ministers, submitted before the October-November Assembly elections.

Interestingly, these 14 Ministers belong to all four National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners — Janata Dal-United (JD-U), BJP, former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Bollywood set designer Mukesh Sahani’s Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP). Two are from JD-U, four from BJP, and one each from HAM and VIP.

13 ministers are crorepatis, BJP tops

A total of 13 ministers of the 15-member newly sworn-in Bihar cabinet are crorepatis and the average assets of these leaders are estimated at 3.93 crore, said Bihar Election Watch and Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR).

Of those 14 ministers, whose affidavits were analysed, 13 are crorepatis and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with its six MLAs is on top position followed by five from JD-U and one each of HAM and VIP, they said.

Out of 14 ministers, two are women.

The NDA secured 125 of the 243 seats in Assembly elections, defeating its key rival Grand Alliance or Mahagathbandhan led by Tejashwi Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal, Congress, CPI-MLL, CPI-M, and CPI. — IANS