Mumbai civic polls: No slowdown in corporators’ earnings
HT’s analysis of poll affidavits found the assets of prominent civic body members increased by up to 1,355% since 2012
In just five years, the assets declared by prominent corporators of the civic body have risen by 100% to 500%.
The corporators’ assets were revealed in the affidavits candidates submitted ahead of the civic polls.These corporators are also members of the BMC’s crucial standing committee and improvements committee.
The biggest jump was seen in senior Shiv Sena leader and former mayor Shraddha Jadhav’s assets, which rose by 1,355%, affidavits HT analysed found. In 2012, Jadhav declared assets worth Rs1.73 crore. This year, the figure is Rs25.18 crore. She owns five agriculture plots at Sangameshwar in Ratnagiri, and has six houses in Mumbai. When contacted, Jadhav said, “I do not know about this, my CA calculated it. I cannot verify with him right now.”
The current mayor Snehal Ambekar’s assets rose by 201% since 2012. She declared movable and immovable assets worth Rs1.28 crore this year, against assets worth Rs42.4 lakhs in 2012. Current leader of the house, Trushna Vishwasrao, declared assets worth Rs1.02 crore in 2012/ This is now Rs6.59 crore — a 546% rise. Vishwasrao’s affidavit also showed she did not complete her Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam. She will be contesting from Wadala.
The candidates have to submit their affidavits with nominations for the elections. The standing committee and improvements committee are decision-making bodies of the BMC.
Education committee chairman and Sena leader Hemangi Worlikar’s assets have rose by 180% since 2012; current standing committee chairman, Yashodhar Phanse, a senior Sena leader from Andheri has assets worth Rs8.4 crore, against Rs1.4 crore in 2012.
BJP leaders like Manoj Kotak’s assets rose by 645% in the past decade. The senior leader from Mulund, an SSC pass out, had assets worth Rs55.46 lakh in 2007, which has increased to Rs 4.1 crore in 2017. Congress’ Asif Zakaria from Bandra has declared assets worth Rs 25.6 crores, which has increased from Rs 12.90 crore in 2012, a rise of 98.4%.
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