Half of Chhattisgarh’s BJP Mayors Are Crorepatis: Meenal Owns 500g Gold; One Faces Criminal Case, One Holds LLB, Five Are Graduates

Raipur:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has secured victory in all 10 municipal corporations of Chhattisgarh, with the Congress failing to win a single seat. Meenal Chaubey recorded the largest victory margin in Raipur, while Ramnaresh Rai secured the narrowest win in Chirimiri.

Beyond election results, here’s a closer look at the financial assets, educational qualifications, and criminal records of the newly elected BJP mayors.

Financial & Educational Overview of BJP Mayors

• Five mayors are crorepatis.
• Meenal Chaubey (Raipur) owns 500g of gold.
• Bilaspur Mayor Pooja Vidhani has assets worth approximately ₹2 crore.
• Education:
  • Five are graduates.
  • One holds an LLB degree.
  • One completed Class 12.
  • One studied up to Class 5.
  • One is literate but has no formal education.
• Criminal & Financial Background:
  • One mayor has a criminal case against them.
  • Four mayors have outstanding loans.

Key Highlights of Individual Mayors’ Assets

Meenal Chaubey (Raipur)

• Owns 50 tolas (500g) of gold, valued at around ₹40 lakh.
• Has ₹7.54 lakh in cash—more than her husband.
• Former Leader of Opposition in Raipur Municipal Corporation and a three-time councilor.

Pooja Vidhani (Bilaspur)

• Declared assets worth ₹1.77 crore.
• Has ₹1 lakh cash, similar to her husband.
• Active in BJP since 1996, served as a councilor since 1998, and held leadership positions in BJP’s Women’s Wing.

Alka Baghmar (Durg)

• The richest among all, with assets worth ₹5.27 crore.
• Holds ₹1 lakh cash, while her husband has ₹1.5 lakh cash.
• BJP district vice president, connected to MP Vijay Baghel.

Jivardhan Chauhan (Raigarh)

• First-time candidate, secured a significant victory.
• Owns 10 tolas (100g) of gold worth ₹8 lakh and 250g of silver worth ₹1 lakh.
• Currently BJP’s state secretary of the Scheduled Caste Wing.

Madhusudan Yadav (Rajnandgaon)

• Declared ₹30 lakh worth of gold and ₹35 lakh in agricultural land.
• Owns a ₹10 lakh plot in Raipur in his wife’s name.
• Former MP, ex-mayor, and a close aide of former CM Raman Singh.

Manjusha Bhagat (Jashpur)

• Declared ₹21 lakh in personal assets, while her husband owns ₹20 lakh.
• Owns ₹2.5 lakh cash and ₹2 lakh worth of gold and silver jewelry.
• Controversy over her education: affidavit lists Class 12, but BJP office profile mentions BA, LLB.

Sanju Devi Rajput (Kanker)

• Declared assets worth ₹4.3 lakh, with her husband having ₹2.75 lakh.
• Owns 350g of gold worth ₹25 lakh and 1kg of silver worth ₹90,000.
• Long-time BJP member, previously a councilor.

Jagdish Rohra (Dhamtari)

• Declared assets include ₹2.38 lakh cash, ₹2.31 crore in shares and bonds, and multiple real estate properties.
• Former BJP district treasurer and president, now serving as BJP’s state general secretary.

Ramnaresh Rai (Chirimiri)

• The mayor with the smallest declared wealth at ₹32 lakh, including family assets.

Sanjay Pandey (Jagdalpur)

• Owns 170g of gold worth ₹7.65 lakh and 3kg of silver worth ₹13.05 lakh.
• Started in politics with Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), served as a four-time councilor.

BJP’s Landslide Victory in Civic Elections

In the recently concluded Chhattisgarh municipal elections, BJP swept all 10 municipal corporations, 35 municipalities, and 81 town councils. Congress managed to win only 30 out of 173 urban local bodies, while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also secured a foothold.