The number of MPs with a criminal record has gone up this year. While the Bharatiya Janata Party tops the list with 43 MPs, the Congress comes a close second with 41 such MPs. In all there are 153 MPs with a criminal record and 74 of these MPs have serious charges levelled against them.
Here is a list of top ten MPs with a criminal background, compiled by the National Election Watch.
Name: Kameshwar Baitha (56)
Constituency represented: Palamau, Jharkhand
Party: Jharkhand Mukti Morcha
Criminal background: Accused in 35 cases and has 50 serious charges against him under the IPC
Convicted: Never
Name: Jagadish Sharma, (58)
Constituency represented: Jahanabad, Bihar
Party: Janata Dal-United
Criminal background: Accused in 6 cases and has 17 serious charges against him under the IPC
Convicted: Never
Name: Bal Kumar Patel (48)
Constituency represented: Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh
Party: Samajwadi Party
Criminal background: Accused in 10 cases and has 13 serious charges against him under the IPC
Convicted: Never
Name: Prabhatsinh Pratapsinh Chauvan (67)
Constituency represented: Panchamahal, Gujarat
Party: Bharatiya Janata Party
Criminal background: Accused in 3 cases and has 10 serious charges against him under the IPC
Convicted: Never
Name: Kapil Muni Karwariya (42)
Constituency represented: Phulpur, Uttar Pradesh
Party: Bahujan Samaj Party
Criminal background: Accused in 4 cases and has 8 serious charges against him under the IPC
Convicted: Never
Name: P Karunakaran (64)
Constituency represented: Kasargod, Kerala
Party: Communist Party of India-Marxist
Criminal background: Accused in 12 cases and has 6 serious charges against him under the IPC
Convicted: Never
Name: Kunvarji Mohanbhai Bavaliya (54)
Constituency represented: Rajkot, Gujarat
Party: Indian National Congress
Criminal background: Accused in 2 cases and has 6 serious charges against him under the IPC
Convicted: Never
Name: Vittalbhai Hansrajbhai Radadiya (51)
Constituency represented: Porbandar, Gujarat
Party: Indian National Congress
Criminal background: Accused in 16 cases and has 5 serious charges against him under the IPC
Convicted: Never
Name: Ramkishun (49)
Constituency represented: Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh
Party: Samajwadi Party
Criminal background: Accused in 10 cases and has 5 serious charges against him under the IPC
Convicted: Never
Name: Lalu Prasad Yadav (60)
Constituency represented: Saran, Bihar
Party: Rashtriya Janata Dal
Criminal background: Accused in 7 cases and has 5 serious charges against him under the IPC
Convicted: Never