The release of nomination affidavits for the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections has put the spotlight on the personal wealth of prominent candidates, revealing staggering increases in their declared assets since the last civic polls in 2017.
Ex-Mayor Leads the Pack with 200% Wealth Surge
Former Mumbai mayor and three-term corporator Kishori Pednekar has reported a dramatic rise in her net worth. Contesting from Ward 199, which covers Dhobi Ghat and Saat Rasta in the G-South ward, Pednekar has declared total assets worth Rs 5.26 crore. This marks a jump of over 200% from the Rs 1.61 crore she declared in 2017. Her current affidavit lists immovable property valued at Rs 4.69 crore and movable assets of Rs 57 lakh.
Political Scions and Party Hoppers Report Astronomical Growth
The most eye-catching increase comes from Shiv Sena's Samadhan Sarvankar, son of former MLA Sada Sarvankar. Seeking a second term as corporator, Sarvankar has declared assets worth a whopping Rs 46.59 crore. This represents a near-fivefold increase from the Rs 9.43 crore he reported five years ago, with Rs 40.59 crore attributed to immovable assets.
Similarly, former BJP corporator Neil Somaiya (35) has seen his declared wealth climb from Rs 1.99 crore in 2017 to Rs 9.89 crore now. His movable assets are pegged at Rs 5.72 crore, with immovable assets at Rs 4.16 crore.
In a case of exponential growth, Tejasvee Ghosalkar, who switched to the BJP and is contesting from Ward 3, has declared assets worth Rs 5.15 crore. This is a staggering rise from the Rs 25.8 lakh she reported during her first civic election in 2017, indicating growth of over 1700%. Ghosalkar is the wife of former corporator Abhishek Ghosalkar, who was tragically killed during a Facebook Live incident.
Established Leaders Also Show Significant Gains
The trend of rising assets is consistent across party lines and experience levels. BJP leader Prabhakar Shinde has reported an increase from Rs 11.90 crore in 2017 to Rs 17.63 crore in the current election cycle.
Furthermore, former Shiv Sena MLA Yamini Jadhav, contesting from Byculla, has declared total assets worth Rs 14.57 crore. This shows a significant rise from the Rs 10.10 crore she declared during the 2024 Assembly elections, marking a substantial increase in just over a year.
The affidavits, now in the public domain as per election rules, provide a transparent, albeit startling, snapshot of the financial growth of Mumbai's political candidates between two election cycles. The data is likely to fuel public discourse on the nexus between political office and personal wealth accumulation as the city prepares for the crucial BMC polls.
