MUMBAI: The BJP candidate from Ghatkopar East constituency of Maharashtra assembly real estate businessman Parag Shah, who replaced former housing development minister and six-time BJP MLA Prakash Mehta, has turned out to be the richest candidate in the state with assets worth Rs 500 crore.
Shah (50) had contested BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) election two years back from the same area. He had pegged his property to Rs 690 crore back then. A graduate in Commerce, Shah has business interests in Mumbai as well as Chennai, his affidavit filed with nomination has said.
Mumbai BJP president and another real estate businessman Mangalprabhat Lodha had declared his property worth Rs 441 crore earlier this week. In 2014 Lodha was the richest candidate in fray. This time Shah has turned out to be the riches.
Meanwhile, 5,534 candidates have filed 7,584 nominations from 288 assembly constituencies of the state additional electoral officer Dilip Shinde has said. Maximum nominations - 5,163 – were filed on Friday, the last day for filing nominations. The maximum number of candidates in one constituency, 135, are from Bhokar in Nanded district; while in Mahim and Shivdi assembly constituencies of Mumbai only 4 nominations have been filed each.
Shinde also said that after the model code of conduct was imposed after the announcement of the election, a total of Rs 43 crore worth of goods including liquor, cash and jewellery has to be confiscated by different agencies.