BMC elections 2026: Poll affidavits reveal massive asset growth among candidates

Several prominent candidates in the upcoming BMC elections 2026 including former mayor Kishori Pednekar have declared a sharp rise in assets since 2017 according to affidavits uploaded by the State Election Commission reported news agency PTIAs many as 1700 candidates are in the fray for the 227ward Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC elections scheduled on January 15Kishori Pednekarrsquos assets jump 226 per centShiv Sena UBT candidate and former city mayor Kishori Pednekar contesting from Lower Parel ward 199 in central Mumbai has declared total assets of Rs 526 crore a 226 per cent increase from Rs 161 crore in 2017 reported PTIPednekar who served as Mumbai mayor from 2019 to 2022 has declared immovable and movable assets of Rs 469 crore and Rs 57 lakh respectivelySamadhan Sarvankar records nearly fourfold riseShiv Sena Shinde faction candidate Samadhan Sarvankar son of former MLA Sada Sarvankar and seeking a second term has declared assets of Rs 4659 crore a steep rise of 394 per cent from Rs 943 crore in 2017 reported PTIThe Sena candidate who has listed his profession as business has immovable assets of Rs 4059 crore along with substantial movable assets as per the affidavitYamini Jadhav declares assets worth Rs 1457 croreFormer MLA Yamini Jadhav Shiv Sena candidate from Mazagaon area ward 209 wife of former corporator and exchairman of BMCs standing committee Yashwant Jadhav has Rs 1457 crore of assets including immovable properties of Rs 1128 crore and movable properties of Rs 328 crore reported PTIIn 2024 when she contested the Maharashtra assembly elections she had declared total assets of Rs 1010 crore along with loans of Rs 52 lakh from financial institutionsGeeta Gawalirsquos assets more than doubleGangsterturnedpolitician Arun Gawalis daughter Geeta Gawali who is contesting from the BycullaAgripada area ward 212 and seeking another term has declared assets of Rs 726 crore including Rs 470 crore in immovable properties compared to Rs 338 crore during the 2019 assembly polls reported PTIFirsttime candidate Yogita Gawali in frayHer younger sister Yogita Gawali ward 207 who is contesting civic elections for the first time from the ChinchpokliByculla area ward 207 has declared assets of Rs 365 crore including Rs 119 crore in movable assetsNeil Somaiya sees 400 per cent rise since 2017Neil Somaiya 35 former corporator and son of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has declared total assets worth Rs 989 crore a 400 per cent rise against Rs 199 crore in 2017 His assets include Rs 572 crore and Rs 416 crore in movable and immovable properties respectively as per the affidavitPrabhakar Shinde reports moderate increasePrabhakar Shinde another prominent BJP leader in the BMC has assets of Rs 1763 crore compared to Rs 119 crore in 2017 48 per cent riseSachin Padwalrsquos wealth jumps over 700 per centFormer Shiv Sena UBT corporator Sachin Padwal contesting from the Sewri area ward 206 and seeking a second term has declared assets worth Rs 54 crore up from Rs 6506 lakh nine years ago a rise of over 700 per cent He has immovable properties of Rs 354 crore in immovable properties reported PTITejasvee Ghosalkarrsquos assets rise after party switchTejasvee Ghosalkar who recently joined the BJP after quitting Shiv Sena UBT and is contesting from ward 2 in the Dahisar area has declared assets of Rs 515 crore as against Rs 2582 lakh in 2017Congress candidate Sheetal Mhatre shows sharp growthCongress candidate from ward 1 in Dahisar Sheetal Mhatre has shown total assets of Rs 427 crore compared to Rs 1729 lakh in the last civic polls She has declared immovable and movable assets of Rs 122 crore and Rs 305 crore respectivelyNomination scrutiny and affidavit uploads continueThe last date for filing the nomination papers was December 30 While the affidavits of several candidates contesting the January 15 civic polls have been uploaded on the BMCs website those of some mominees were not published till late Wednesday nightThe SEC has also uploaded the documents of those who have either withdrawn from the poll race or whose nomination has been rejected during the scrutiny processBabubhai Bhavanjirsquos affidavit also reveals surgeThis includes the affidavit of former deputy mayor and businessman Babubhai Bhavanji who declared total assets of Rs 3144 crore up from Rs 823 lakh in 2017 as he had sought to contest the election from ward 192With inputs from PTI