As Pune gears up for the crucial civic elections, the financial declarations of seasoned politicians seeking a return to the municipal corporation have revealed notable shifts in their wealth. Three former mayors and one former deputy mayor, all contesting the upcoming Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) polls, have filed affidavits showing significant changes in their declared assets compared to their last electoral battles.
Substantial Wealth Surge for Key Contenders
The most striking increase comes from former mayor Dattatray Dhankawade, who is contesting from the Balajinagar-Ambegaon-Katraj ward. His declared assets have skyrocketed to a staggering ₹96.85 crore, a massive jump from the ₹27.14 crore he declared during the 2017 civic election. Dhankawade, who served as mayor from 2014 to 2016 and is primarily involved in real estate, has also declared family-owned gold jewellery weighing 1,190 grams.
Another former mayor, Prashant Jagtap, has also seen his wealth grow. Now a Congress candidate after recently leaving the NCP(SP), Jagtap was mayor between 2016 and 2017. His current declared wealth stands at Rs 5.70 crore, up from Rs 5.44 crore declared during the September 2024 Assembly elections from Hadapsar.
Mixed Fortunes and Party Switches
In contrast, former mayor Vaishali Bankar, who served from 2012 to 2013 and is contesting from Hadapsar-Satavwadi ward, has reported a decrease in assets. Her declared wealth has dipped from ₹2.57 crore in 2017 to ₹2.14 crore in the current affidavit.
The sole former deputy mayor in the fray is veteran leader Ulhas Bagul. The 68-year-old, contesting from Sahakarnagar-Padmavati ward, recently shifted from the Congress to join the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. His wealth has increased to Rs 9.79 crore from Rs 9.13 crore in September 2024, when he contested the Assembly election from Parvati as an Independent. Bagul's family holds substantial valuables, including 3.536 kg of gold and 9.5 kg of silver items.
Political Landscape and Upcoming Election
The affidavits highlight the evolving political allegiances in Pune's civic politics. While Bankar and Dhankawade are contesting as NCP candidates, Jagtap has moved to the Congress. These declarations come just ahead of the PMC elections scheduled for January 15, 2026. The scrutiny of asset growth among incumbent and returning politicians remains a key point of public interest, offering voters a glimpse into the financial trajectories of those vying to govern India's burgeoning cultural and IT hub.
