Pune: Currently, the Pune Municipal Corporation elections are in full swing. After witnessing unprecedented chaos involving nominations, AB forms, and political infighting, all candidates have finally
filed their applications for the Pune Municipal Corporation elections. The assets of the candidates who have filed their nominations for the Pune Municipal Corporation have now also come to light.
Among them, Surendra Pathare, the son of NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Bapusaheb Pathare and a member of the BJP, has emerged as the wealthiest candidate. It also includes the sons, daughters and daughters-in-law of these former MPs and MLAs.
Pathare has total assets worth Rs 271 crore 85 lakh. Next is Sayali Wanjale, daughter of late MLA Ramesh Wanjale of Khadakwasla assembly constituency. Wanjale has assets worth Rs 77 crore 65 lakh.
This information has come to light from the affidavit filed along with the nomination papers while contesting the municipal elections. In the municipal elections, the BJP has fielded candidates on 165 seats from 41 wards.
In this, 9 seats have been given to the allied party, the Republican Party of India (RPI). However, these candidates will contest the elections on the lotus symbol of the BJP. While filing nominations, the BJP has fielded former corporators, office bearers of other parties, as well as family members who are grandmothers and former MLAs.
Surendra Pathare also has more four-wheelers than the relatives of other former MLAs and MPs for the municipal elections. Pathare has vehicles worth crores of rupees, like BMW, Mercedes, and Innova Crysta. Surendra Pathare studied at an engineering college in Pune and has obtained an M.Tech degree. He is trying his luck in the municipal elections for the first time.
Surendra Pathare joined the BJP on the eve of the municipal elections. Surendra is the grandson of Bapu Pathare, the only MLA from Pune city of the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar). The state Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had paid special attention to Surendra's entry into the BJP. Chief Minister Fadnavis was insistent that Surendra join the BJP. That is why the BJP has given candidature to Pathare, his wife Aishwarya Pathare, and another relative.
BJP's candidature to 25 people from other parties
Strong efforts are being made to hoist the flag of the Bharatiya Janata Party on the Municipal Corporation in the municipal elections. While cutting off the names of the corporators who did not perform well in the last election, 25 people who joined the BJP from other parties have been given candidature. This has caused discontent among the BJP workers, and is it a reward for the work of loyal workers? It is being asked.
Ramesh Wanjale's daughter possesses assets worth 77 crore rupees...!
On the other hand, BJP’s Sayali Wanjale, the daughter of the late MLA Ramesh Wanjale from the Khadakwasla assembly constituency, is also in the fray, and the Wanjale family's assets amount to Rs 77.65 crore.
The list further includes BJP candidate Prithviraj Sutar, son of former minister Shashikant Sutar. He has declared his net worth to be Rs 42.51 crore, with vehicles including the Toyota Innova, Nissan Micra and Bullet.
The next candidate, BJP’s Chandrashekhar (Sunny) Nimhan, has declared a net worth of Rs 36 crore, with vehicles including an Innova and several two-wheelers. Nimhan’s total worth declared in 2017 was Rs 17. 76 crore.
Meanwhile, the family assets of BJP’s Swarada Bapat, the daughter-in-law of the late MP Girish Bapat, are worth Rs 11.22 crore. Bapat is highly educated (LLM) and has previously contested the Sangli Municipal Corporation election. In this election, the future of many established political families' heirs, including Kunal Tilak, Chandrashekhar Nimhan, and Ravindra Dhangekar, is at stake.
The affidavits submitted by these candidates have once again highlighted the financial strength of the families active in Pune politics.
