As Nashik gears up for the crucial Municipal Corporation elections on January 15, a startling trend has emerged from the affidavits of candidates. The declared wealth of nearly 87 former corporators, who are back in the electoral fray, has witnessed a dramatic and significant surge compared to their assets declared during the 2017 civic polls.
Massive Wealth Accumulation in Five Years
The financial documents submitted by the candidates have revealed a steep upward trajectory in their fortunes over the past five to seven years, a development that is raising eyebrows among voters and observers alike. This substantial increase in personal wealth, documented officially, comes ahead of the high-stakes battle for control of the Nashik civic body.
One of the most prominent cases is that of Sanjay Chavan of Shiv Sena (UBT). His declared assets have nearly doubled, shooting up from Rs 38.2 crore in 2017 to a staggering Rs 74.1 crore in the current election. In a similar vein, Ajay Boraste, the deputy leader of Shiv Sena and former opposition leader in the NMC House, has reported an even more meteoric rise. His wealth has ballooned from Rs 6.6 crore to an impressive Rs 40.9 crore.
Top Wealth Holders and Notable Increases
The title of the richest candidate in the election appears to belong to Deepali Gite, the BJP's nominee from Ward 1 in the Panchavati division. Contesting for the first time, she has declared family assets worth a colossal Rs 130.3 crore. Deepali is the wife of former standing committee chairman Ganesh Gite, who held the influential post for two consecutive years (2020-21 and 2021-22) but opted out this time due to reservation changes.
Other significant wealth jumps include:
- Kalpana Chumbhale: The former Shiv Sena corporator, who recently joined BJP and is contesting from Ward 24(C), saw her assets rise from Rs 19.6 crore to Rs 41.8 crore.
- Rahul Dive: Contesting on Shiv Sena's ticket from Ward 16(A), his assets made a leap from a modest Rs 22 lakh to Rs 6 crore.
- Dinkar Patil: The former BJP corporator from Satpur's Ward 9 doubled his wealth from Rs 9.2 crore to Rs 17.4 crore. His son Amol, also contesting from the same ward, saw his assets soar from Rs 56.6 lakh to Rs 5 crore.
A Pattern of Crorepati Candidates
The list of affluent candidates is extensive, painting a picture of widespread financial growth among the political class in Nashik. Former mayor Ranjana Bhansi reported an increase from Rs 2.9 crore to Rs 9.2 crore.
The affidavits also show several other corporators declaring assets in crores, including:
- Machhindra Sanap (Rs 7.9 crore)
- Pravin Tidme (Rs 7 crore)
- Himgauri Adke (Rs 27.3 crore)
- Rajendra Mahale (Rs 26 crore)
- Mukesh Shahane (Rs 21.5 crore)
- Siddhesh Nimse (Rs 20.9 crore)
The revelation of such substantial wealth accumulation among a large group of sitting and former public representatives is set to become a key talking point in the final days of campaigning for the Nashik Municipal Corporation elections. Voters are now presented with clear, official data on the financial evolution of their candidates over a single term, adding a new dimension to their electoral decision.
