98 per cent of voters want ‘clean’ MPs, MLAs 

Also, the same percentage of voters do not think the people should vote for candidates with a criminal record or arrested. However, 36 per cent of voters are unaware of the criminal records of the candidates.

The ADR conducted the survey among 19,500 respondents across all 39 Parliamentary constituencies in the state.

Apart from preferring clean candidates, 62 per cent of voters said that they do not give importance to candidates’ caste or religion. Nearly, 13 per cent of voters feel caste and religion are very important.

In other positive findings, the survey suggests that 81 per cent of voters do not give importance to cash, liquor and gifts. However, 6 per cent of voters think gifts and cash are very important to buy their votes.

Meanwhile, 40.20 per cent of voters give priority to better employment opportunities and 37.47 per cent gives priority to better health care. About 35.02 per cent of voters prioritises drinking water.

Apart from analysing the voting behaviour of the public, the survey also considered the details of assets and criminal cases declared by the candidates in their affidavits. However, of the 845 candidates in the state, the survey covered only 802 candidates due to unavailability of clear affidavits.

“Of the 802 candidates, 168 candidates have declared criminal cases pending against them. PMK’s Anbumani Ramadoss has the highest number of cases at 12,” the survey report says.

Nearly, 23 per cent of the candidates are crorepatis and DMK has fielded the highest number 23 of crorepati candidates. “AIADMK has 22 rich candidates, while MNM and NTK have 19 and 12 crorepati candidates. BJP has 5 rich candidates and Congress has 7 such candidates. Average assets of all the candidates is Rs 3.46 crore.”

Congress candidate H Vasantha Kumar, who is contesting from Kanniyakumari have declared asset worth Rs 417 crore.