PANAJI
Barring the lone Revolutionary Goans MLA Viresh Borkar, all other 39 newly elected MLAs in 40-member state legislative assembly are crorepatis, while 40 percent of the newly elected MLAs have criminal cases registered against them, research of election affidavit filed by candidates has revealed.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji, state coordinator for the Association of Democratic Reforms Bhaskar Assoldekar also said that the new legislative assembly has 23 new faces, out of which 19 MLAs are first-timers.
“13 (33 percent) winning candidates have declared serious criminal cases against themselves. Out of 40 MLAs analysed during Goa Assembly elections in 2017, 6 (15 percent) MLAs had declared serious criminal cases against themselves,” according to ADR's data.
“We want the voters to have an informed choice and to that extent we have been communicating the data concerning their criminal background and financial muscle. Goa had the highest percentage of candidates with criminal cases (among the five states) both in terms of criminal cases and serious criminal cases. Crorepatis were also many, many more in terms of percentage compared to the rest of the states that went to the polls,” he added.
Data released by ADR also reveals that the percentage of candidates with criminal cases pending against them rose from 23 per cent in 2007 to 30 per cent in 2012 fell to 25 percent in 2017, but has now touched 40 per cent in the 2022 polls, with a 16 of 40 legislators facing pending criminal cases against them according to data culled from their respective affidavits.
“While we cannot yet call them criminals because these cases are pending against them, it is a matter of concern that those who we elect to make laws for us are themselves law breakers,” Assoldekar said.
Those who have won and have cases, are Babush Monserrate, Jennifer Monserrate, Digambar Kamat, Michael Lobo, Delilah Lobo, Rajesh Faldessai, Vijai Sardesai, Rohan Khaunte, Sankalp Amonkar, Ramesh Tawadkar, Kedar Naik, Govind Gaude, Jit Arolkar, Ravi Naik, Krishna Salkar and Rodolfo Fernandes.
Party-wise 7 (35%) out of 20 winning candidates from BJP, 7 (64%) out of 11 winning candidates from INC, one (50%) out of two from MGP and one (100%) out of one from Goa Forward Party have declared that they have criminal cases in their affidavits.
Among those who have serious criminal cases are 6 from BJP, 6 from Congress and one from MGP.
"Only 17 MLAs of the previous legislative assembly have succeeded in getting re-elected during the 2022 elections. This included nine of the 12 lawmakers who had changed sides mid-term who failed to get re-elected on BJP tickets or as independents after quitting the party," the ADR official said.
Only 17 of the 40 outgoing MLAs have been able to get re-elected while three namely Pratapsingh Rane, Luizinho Faleiro and Pandurang Madkaikar did not recontest the elections.
Of the 23 new elected MLAs four are former MLAs while 19 are first time MLAs. Three women -- all wives of sitting MLAs have also been elected.
Also, the average assets of these candidates doubled with Delilah Lobo being the richest amongst the winners, followed by husband Michael Lobo, both of who fought on Congress ticket and Dr Chandrakant Shetye who joined hands with BJP after his win as an independent candidate from Bicholim.
Out of the 40, 39 are crorepatis with Dr Chandrakant Shetye having the highest income per annum (Rs 4 crore plus), followed by Nilesh Cabral (Rs 3 crore per year) while Michael Lobo and wife Delilah individually earn Rs 92 lakh and Rs 89 lakh per year. Rodolfo Fernandes earns Rs 38 lakh, Altone D'Costa Rs 37 lakh, Joshua De Souza Rs 69 lakh, Aleixo Sequeira Rs 43 lakh, Deviya Rane Rs 11 lakh and Vishwajit Rane Rs 54 lakh per year.
Asset-wise 22 have assets more than Rs 10 crore, whereas 30 have assets more than Rs 5 crore. Delilah and Michael Lobo have the highest (Rs 92 crore) followed by Dr Chandrakant Shetye (Rs 59 crore), Babush and Jennifer Monserrate (Rs 48 crore), Vijai Sardesai (Rs 37 crore), Rodolfo Fernandes (Rs 34 crore) and Yuri Alemao (Rs 30 crore).
The rest have less than Rs 30 crore worth assets and Revolutionary Goan Party candidate Viresh Borkar having assets worth Rs 8 lakh, which is the lowest among winning candidates.
Half of the winning lot is between the age 25-50 years and the other half is between 51 to 80 years. Out of 40 MLAs, three are women and the rest 37 are men.
