Pune civic poll: A third of the contestants in fray are crorepatis

As many as 383 of the 1,090 candidates (from 41 panels), who are in fray for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) polls, are crorepatis, as revealed in their affidavits.

The candidates, mainly sitting corporators, former mayors, opposition leaders and standing committee chairpersons, have declared assets in excess of ₹1 crore. Three among them have declared assets exceeding ₹100 crore, while sixteen have assets ranging between ₹50 to ₹100 crore, as per their affidavits.

According to an analysis done by the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the Maharashtra Election Watch of 767 of the 1090 candidates, the average assets per candidate for this election

is ₹3.61 crore.

For the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) polls, of the 541 affidavits scrutinised, according to the ADR report, around 215 candidates were crorepatis.

For the PMC polls, Developer Vijay Shewale, a first time-aspirant contesting on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket from the Aundh-Bopodi panel, is the richest candidate with declared assets amounting to ₹157.29 crore.

Mr. Shewale bought the famous German Bakery in 2013, when it reopened after the 2010 terror attack. His family has been active in civic politics for several years. He has declared immovable properties worth ₹153.38 crore, spread across the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad townships, in his affidavit.

Not far behind is two-time corporator Rekha Tingre, contesting on a Nationalist Congres Party (NCP) ticket, with assets amounting to ₹134.29 crore, and also, the BJP’s candidate from Vadgaonsheri, Yogesh Mulik, with total declared assets worth ₹109.98 crore.

Ms. Tingre, contesting from her traditional ward Kalas Dhanori in Nagar Road area, is the richest woman candidate. She had forfeited her membership in September 2016, following a PMC probe against her husband in a illegal construction case. However, this has not deterred her from seeking a third consecutive term as corporator.

For the PCMC polls, Independent candidate Sandeep Waghere is the richest, with declared assets of ₹87 crore, followed by the NCP’s Gurbux Pahlani with declared assets of ₹58 crore and the Sena’s Anita Tambe with assets amounting to ₹44 crore.