The incumbent Ghatkopar East MLA and BJP candidate Parag Shah recently declared his asset worth Rs 3,383.06 crore, gaining limelight becoming the richest candidate in Maharashtra ahead of the upcoming assembly elections scheduled on November 20.

In his affidavit filed ahead of the state assembly polls, the BJP MLA declared movable assets worth Rs 3,315.52 crore in his own and his wife’s names and immovable assets worth Rs 67.53 crore.

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Notably, since he became the representative from Ghatkopar East in 2019, Parag Shah’s assets saw a growth by 575% over the last five years. When he filed his affidavit before his electoral debut in 2019, it showed that Rs 550.62 crore in his own, wife’s, and family’s names as his total assets.

Moreover, Praja Foundation, an organisation that evaluates legislators based on their performance from the 2023 to 2024 budget sessions, recently found the Ghatkopar East MLA’s rank shrunk from 5 in 2023 to 16 in 2024, pointing out a notable decline in the accountability of sitting MLAs. A real estate developer-turned-politician, the BJP MLA allegedly lacked attendance, raising eyebrows about his commitment to the legislative duties. He was also the richest candidate in Maharashtra during the 2019 assembly elections, and he emerged victorious by a majority of 53,319 votes. The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidate, Satish Sitaram Pawar, received 19,735 votes, securing the second position, while Congress’ Manisha Sampatrao Surywanshi came in third.

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However, the BJP, under the Mahayuti alliance, has named Parag Shah in its second list of candidates for Maharashtra assembly elections from his sitting constituency. Parag Shah claims to be a legislator, businessman and philanthropist and to have done several developmental projects in his constituency. The MVA is yet to announce its candidate from the Ghatkopar East.