Many affluent candidates from different political parties are set to contest the January 15 municipal corporation elections across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, with several declaring assets exceeding Rs 100 crore in Kalyan-Dombivli, Navi Mumbai and Panvel. An examination of election affidavits shows that more than half of the contestants are crorepatis, highlighting the increasing influence of wealth, particularly from the real estate sector, in local body politics. Only a small number of candidates reported assets below Rs 1 crore, underlining the sharp economic divide among those entering the electoral fray in key urban civic bodies.
In the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation area, three candidates disclosed assets of more than Rs 100 crore, drawing significant attention. Shiv Sena’s Ravindra Patil, contesting from Ward No. 29 in Dombivli, emerged as the wealthiest candidate with declared assets of Rs 182.56 crore. His net worth has almost doubled since the 2015 civic elections, when he reported assets of around Rs 95 crore. Shiv Sena candidate Shalini Sunil Wayle from Ward No. 2 in Kalyan West follows with assets of Rs 140.77 crore, reflecting a steady rise from her earlier declaration of Rs 105 crore, largely in ancestral properties.
Saroj Rai, wife of businessman and former BJP corporator Manoj Rai, stands as the third richest candidate in the KDMC limits, declaring combined family assets worth Rs 122 crore. In the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation region, 226 out of 499 candidates are crorepatis. Congress candidate Santosh Shetty from Nerul tops the list with assets valued at Rs 100 crore. Shiv Sena’s Navi Mumbai chief Kishore Patkar declared assets of Rs 93 crore, while the Gavte family from Digha, with three members contesting, reported a combined wealth of Rs 306 crore.
Several other high-value candidates are also in the race across Navi Mumbai and Panvel. BJP’s Ravindra Ithape declared Rs 75 crore, while Shiv Sena’s Namdev Bhagat, Mandakini Mhatre and Netra Shirke reported assets ranging between Rs 37 crore and Rs 56 crore. In the Panvel City Municipal Corporation area, BJP candidates Iqbal Kazi and Madhu Patil disclosed assets of Rs 171 crore and over Rs 140 crore respectively. Additional BJP and PWP candidates declared assets varying from Rs 10 crore to Rs 44 crore, reinforcing the dominance of wealth in these elections.