Wealthy Candidates Dominate Municipal Corporation Elections in Mumbai Metropolitan Region

Kalyan/Navi Mumbai: The January 15 municipal corporation elections in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region are witnessing a significant influx of wealthy candidates. Several candidates from Kalyan-Dombivli, Navi Mumbai, and Panvel have declared assets exceeding Rs 100 crore, underscoring the growing dominance of the real estate sector in local body politics.

In the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) area, three candidates have declared assets worth over Rs 100 crore. An analysis of candidates' affidavits reveals that more than half of the candidates are crorepatis, while only a few have assets below Rs 1 crore. Shiv Sena candidate Ravindra Patil, contesting from Ward No. 29 in Dombivli, declared assets worth Rs 182.56 crore, making him the richest candidate in the KDMC election. Compared to the 2015 civic polls, where he declared assets close to Rs 95 crore, Patil's wealth nearly doubled over the last decade.

The second richest candidate is Shiv Sena's Shalini Sunil Wayle, contesting from Ward No. 2 in Kalyan West. She declared total assets of Rs 140.77 crore. In the previous election, Wayle reported assets of around Rs 105 crore, largely comprising ancestral immovable properties, indicating a substantial rise in her net worth over the years. The third is Saroj Rai, wife of businessman and former BJP corporator Manoj Rai, who declared combined family assets of Rs 122 crore.

In the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) area, 226 of the total 499 candidates are crorepatis. Congress candidate Santosh Shetty from Nerul tops the list by declaring his net asset worth of Rs 100 crore. Shiv Sena Navi Mumbai chief Kishore Patkar revealed assets worth Rs 93 crore, while the Gavte family from Digha, with three candidates—Navin, Aparna, and Deepa in the fray—has a combined worth of Rs 306 crore. Shetty has a transport business with 51 school buses, while Patkar runs a real estate business.

Other wealthy candidates include BJP's Ravindra Ithape from Nerul with Rs 75 crore, Shiv Sena's Namdev Bhagat with Rs 56 crore, Mandakini Mhatre of Shiv Sena with Rs 44 crore, Netra Shirke of BJP with Rs 37 crore, Suresh Shetty of BJP with Rs 25 crore, and M K Madhavi of Shiv Sena with Rs 24 crore.

From the Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) area, Iqbal Kazi revealed financial assets worth Rs 171 crore, while Madhu Patil from Kharghar declared over Rs 140 crore. Both contested on BJP tickets. Five more BJP candidates, Chandrakant Soni, Santosh Shetty, Dashrath Mhatre, Mamta Mhatre, and another from Kalamboli, filed financial details ranging from over Rs 18 crore to Rs 44 crore. PWP candidates Arvind Mhatre and Dilip Kadam filed property and other details worth Rs 37.88 crore and Rs 10.45 crore, respectively.

The influx of wealthy candidates in these municipal corporation elections highlights the significant role that financial resources play in local politics, particularly in the real estate sector. This trend raises questions about the influence of money in local governance and the potential impact on policy decisions and community development.