Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: '50-100% Rise In Assets Of Defectors,' Says Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has raised serious concerns about the significant increase in personal assets of several MLAs and leaders who switched allegiance to Eknath Shinde's faction in June 2022.

On Friday, Chaturvedi took to X revealing that the wealth of these individuals has surged by 50-100% over the past five years. She referenced asset declarations from seven leaders within the Mahayuti government, comparing their figures from 2019 to 2024.

Among those highlighted for their dramatic asset growth are Shinde Sena leaders like Pratap Sarnaik, a Shiv Sena MLA from Thane; health minister Tanaji Sawant; education minister Deepak Kesarkar; and Independent MLA Geeta Jain. Chaturvedi also noted asset increases for BJP leaders Parag Shah and Rahul Narwekar, as well as NCP leader Dhananjay Munde.

In her tweet she mentioned that Jain's assets soared from Rs70.44 crore in 2019 to Rs 392.30 crore in 2024. Similarly, Shah's wealth jumped from Rs500.62 crore to Rs 3,383.06 crore, while Narwekar's assets increased from Rs 38.09 crore to Rs 129.81 crore. Sarnaik's assets rose from Rs 143.97 crore to Rs 333.32 crore, and Sawant's from Rs 194.5 crore to Rs 218.1 crore. Kesarkar's assets grew from Rs.70 crore to Rs 98.50 crore, and Munde saw an 81.3% increase, along with additional dependents added to his declaration.

Chaturvedi emphasised to the media that the financial growth of these leaders serves as clear evidence of their motivations, stating, “The assets of the 40 individuals who defected demonstrate increases of 50-100% from 2019 to 2024. This indicates that their decisions were driven by personal gain, not the interests of Maharashtra and its people.”