According to latest data released by the National Election Watch, a nationwide campaign comprising of a conglomeration of NGOs and other citizen led organisations, a total of 223 candidates across 177 constituencies in 15th Lok Sabha elections have shown ‘zero’ assets (including movable and immovable) in their affidavits filed with nomination papers.

6 out of these are from Gujarat:Indian Justice Party’s Ahmedabad-West seat candidate Shirsath Vedhubhai Kautikbhai, Republican Party of India’s Surat candidate Bathvar Nareshbhai Nanjibhai, Lokpriya Samaj Party’s Kutch candidate Chauhan Motilal Devjibhai, Rajkot’s independent candidate Nayanbhai Hasmukhbhai Upadhyay, Amreli’s independent candidate Khokhar Gulmahmad Ismile and Jamnagar’s independent candidate Sagathiya Vinodbhai Virjibhai.

All these Zeropatis have deposited Rs 10,000 as election deposit which they may loose if they don’t secure considerable amount of votes.

The pan-India data reveals there are 198 independent candidates, 8 from Indian National Congress, 7 from Bharatiya Janata Party, among others, in this ‘zero’ asset category, with Andhra Pradesh topping the list of housing the maximum number of such candidates, closely followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka.

“It is strange but a fact. When its raining crorepatis in this year’s elections, 200 odd candidates with zero asset value is surprising,” says Jagdeep Chokkar, Founder Member of National Election Watch and former Director, IIM Ahmedabad.