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Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 7 (ANI): A total of 153 candidates with a criminal back ground and 53 crorepati candidates will battle the elections from Kerala this year for the assembly elections.

According to a report prepared by the National Election Watch, 153 candidates i.e. 43 per cent (out of 355 analyzed) with self declared pending criminal charges contesting in the Kerala Assembly Elections

Thirty candidates out of these 153 analyzed, have declared serious IPC charges attempt to murder, extortion, causing hurts by dangerous weapons etc against them.

All major parties have given tickets to candidates with pending criminal cases. The Kerala Congress (M) 62 per cent, the INC 54 per cent, the CPI (M) 45 per cent, the CPI and the Muslim League 43 per cent each.

A total of 53 candidates, i.e. 15 per cent (out of 355 analyzed) are crorepatis.

Percentage of crorepati candidates in INC, ML, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), CPI (M), CPI and Kerala Congress (M) is 13 per cent, 57 per cent, 6 per cent, 8 per cent, 4 per cent and 46 per cent respectively

In Puducherry, a total of 24 candidates have self declared pending criminal charges against them.

Of the 24, five candidates have been charged with serious offences like kidnapping and extortion under the IPC.

Of the 10 All India Anna Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) questioned four have criminal records, two from the DMK out of the 10 candidates fall in this category.

Only one Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam was quizzed and he was found to be tainted and of the 20 BJP candidates in question, one was guilty of a crime.

Kerala and Puducherry go to the polls on April 13. (ANI)