Meet Mangal Prabhat Lodha, richest minister in Shinde-Fadnavis Maha cabinet
Mangal Prabhat Lodha, a six-time MLA in Maharashtra, is the richest minister in the new Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis cabinet. Lodha stands on top with personal assets worth Rs. 441 crore, according to the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR). The 66-year-old MLA from Malabar Hill is also the state chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). All ministers in the new cabinet are crorepati.
Why does this story matter?
Maharashtra's chief minister, Shinde, gained control of a faction of the Shiv Sena following his rebellion along with other MLAs. The revolt reduced the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition's government to a minority, and Uddhav Thackeray resigned as the CM on June 29. Shinde was sworn in as Maharashtra's CM on June 30 with the support of 40 Shiv Sena MLAs and the BJP.
What are Lodha's declared assets?
According to documents filed before the 2019 Assembly elections, Lodha has personal assets worth Rs. 441.65 crore and liabilities worth Rs. 283.36 crore. He is the richest minister in the new cabinet, according to ADR which analyzed the self-sworn affidavits of all 20 newly-sworn ministers, including the chief minister. Lodha is a 'salaried' businessman who deals in real estate as well.
Lodha also charged under multiple IPC sections
Lodha also has the highest liabilities among all the ministers. Additionally, the 63-year-old minister has five cases against him for IPC 420 (cheating and dishonesty inducing delivery of property), 406 (punishment for criminal breach of trust), and 467 (forgery of valuable security), among others. Shiv Sena's Sandipan Bhumare, a six-time MLA, has the lowest figures with declared assets worth Rs. 2.92 crore.
All ministers in new cabinet are 'crorepati'
CM Shinde and Deputy-CM Fadnavis declared assets worth Rs. 11 crore and Rs. 8 crore respectively. Eight ministers in the newly sworn-in cabinet have listed Class 10th and 12th as their educational qualifications. Additionally, 11 ministers have declared to be graduates, while one is a diploma holder. Of 15 ministers who have criminal cases against him, 13 declared that the cases against them were serious.
20 ministers in Maharashtra cabinet
The council of ministers in the newly sworn Maharashtra government was expanded on August 9. The two-member cabinet inducted 18 new ministers, of which nine each belonged to Shinde's rebel Shiv Sena and the BJP. The cabinet was sworn in 41 days after Shinde took oath as the new CM, amid a Supreme Court hearing that may decide the 'real' Shiv Sena soon.
