'When honest, wealthy people come forward to serve India, people should feel proud and welcome them.'
Parag Shah -- the Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate for the Ghatkopar East seat -- is the richest contestant in the Maharashtra assembly election with a total net worth of Rs 3,300 crore (Rs 33 billion, which keeps fluctuating along with the stock prices of his real estate company Man Infraconstruction listed on both the BSE and NSE).
A few days into the campaign, Shah fell down in his home fracturing a bone and tearing a ligament. Wheelchair-bound Shah used a specialised wheelchair to improve his mobility just so that he could meet his constituents.
A former municipal councillor, Shah is defending his seat against the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar)'s Rakhee Jadhav, a four-time corporator who is reportedly likely to give Shah a tough fight.
"If anyone asks me (about myself) then I never say 'I'm a Gujarati'. I was born and brought up in Ghatkopar. I was born in Maharashtra. Can I not consider I am a Maharashtrian also? My forefathers were Gujarati. I feel proud of them. I am a Gujarati-Maharashtrian but I don't want to recognise myself as a Gujarati or a Maharashtrian. I am an Indian," Shah tells Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com when asked if there will be a split in Maharashtrian and Gujarati votes in his constituency between him and Jadhav making it a tough contest for him.
How is your leg doing?
I have fractured it and a ligament is torn. I fell down at home; I have to get it operated but because of the election I have postponed it; 99 per cent, after the election is over on the November 20, I will undergo an operation the next day.
I'm fine now; using a wheelchair to move and doing my work and campaign. My mobility has reduced. But I have to fulfill my duty towards my party and the people of my constituency. I try to meet them, do my padyatras on a wheelchair. As and when there are meetings I move with the ambulance.
Is it painful now?
A bone is cracked and a ligament is also torn. I am on medication and because of that the pain has reduced. That is fine because if at the time of election if I bother about my pain, I won't be able to work. I am not focusing on that. I have to do my job. Whatever responsibility the party has given me I should do justice to my job.
How do you look at this injury? Is it an advantage or a disadvantage? Advantage because you will have the sympathy of voters who voted for you last time and you won by more than 53,000 votes. And disadvantage because it has reduced your mobility.
You are not able to connect with the people as much as say your opponent from the NCP (SP) Rakhee Jadhav is able to do.
I don't take it as an advantage or disadvantage. This is a part of the game. I don't believe in taking any advantage (of this injury).
I didn't come to politics to take any advantage or sympathy vote. I'm injured but that's fine.
Disadvantage is that because of that my mobility has reduced, but I also don't consider it as a disadvantage because I have worked for five years. It's not that I'm a new face for Ghatkopar East. I have worked hard for the people here. They know my working style.
People know that I'm always available to them for any social work. I don't harass anyone and I do all duties honestly. I feel proud that even my enemies will never be able to blame me for any corruption.
You were elected as a municipal councillor in 2017 and as a debutante MLA in 2019. With more than 53,000 votes in 2019 you fought the elections along with a united Shiv Sena.
This time the Shiv Sena is divided into two. And this constituency has sizeable Gujarati and Marathi voters.
Do you think this split in the Shiv Sena could affect your chance given that in the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the Mumbai Northeast seat, of which Ghatkopar East is a part, was won by the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray)'s Sanjay Dina Patil.
Sanjay Dina Patil won the Mumbai Northeast Lok Sabha seat because it comprises of six Vidhan Sabha constituencies -- Mulund, Bhandup West, Vikhroli, Ghatkopar East, Ghatkopar West and Mankhurd Shivajinagar. Even while he (Patil) won in 2024, in Ghatkopar East, from where I am contesting, the BJP got around 34,000 votes lead. We were also leading from the Mulund Vidhan Sabha seat.
I am not worried about mathematics. I don't believe in winning votes on the grounds of jatiwad (casteism), regionalism and religion. These politicians say (ask for votes in the name of) 'This guy is Gujarati, he is a Marathi, he is a Hindu, he is a Muslim; I am not asking people to vote for me on these lines.
I am an Indian. We are Indian. If anyone asks me (about myself) then I never say 'I'm a Gujarati'. I was born and brought up in Ghatkopar. I was born in Maharashtra. Can I not consider I am a Maharashtrian also? My forefathers were Gujarati. I feel proud of them. I am a Gujarati-Maharashtrian but I don't want to recognise myself as a Gujarati or a Maharashtrian. I am an Indian.
I don't want to qualify myself as a Hindu or Muslim; I am an Indian. Yes, my dharma is Sanatan Dharma and I feel proud of that because Sanatan Dharma is the only religion which respects its own religion, protects its own religion but also respects other religions.
I will never seek votes on the Hindu-Muslim differential. I will appeal to everyone: We should forget this (voting on the basis of religion). We all should become Indian.
This (communalism, casteism and regionalism) has started just because some politicians are fooling the country. In people like (Prime Minister Narendra) Modiji and (Union Home Minister) Amit (Shah)bhai, (Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister) Devendraji (Fadnavis), we have great leaders who can develop the country.
Every time the Opposition says that Muslim voters are not with BJP. Can you give me one example to show that the BJP has done any wrong with Muslims? We all are Indians but we have to stop this vote bank story. I would like to recognise myself as an Indian and I need votes from Indians -- not from any Hindu or Muslim.
Devendra Fadnavis, in many of his speeches, has been talking about vote jihad. Do you believe in this vote jihad theory?
Yes. It is there; vote jihad was done in 2024 by misguiding Muslims. Poor Muslims do not understand that they are being used for a political family and I strongly oppose that (vote jihad). There should be a jihad to vote for people who are educated, who work for the country. You should vote for honest people and people who love India.
Are you saying that those who don't vote for the BJP don't love the nation?
No. I say let anybody vote for the BJP or not vote for the BJP. That's fine. But do not prejudice people with wrong information just because you want to get political benefit by misleading poor people. Even after 77 years of Independence, when we got to a poor neighbourhood, people are asking for water connection at home.
'We need one toilet. We need proper flooring outside my house. Our toilet doesn't have a door; our womenfolk are not able to use the toilet, so please get us the door' is a common request. Should these be needs of the people 77 years after Independence?
This is what our voters have to understand. You should vote with your eyes open.
People should watch for leaders who work for the country, who work for the poor and dispossessed, those who are honest, those who are loyal to the country.
How do you look at your opponent Rakhee Jadhav of the NCP (SP)? She is a four-time corporator. Observers believe that this time the Ghatkopar East contest will be a tough one for you to win.
I don't believe there is a tough fight. But yes, as a true warrior of my party I believe in winning any contest. Till 6 pm on November 20, every second is important for me to convince my voters that I am the right candidate and they should vote for me.
It's not important today to say something about Rakhee Jadhav or someone else. I should talk about me, my work. I should talk about the progress of the country. I should talk about the growth of the country. And that I am doing.
You call Amit Shah your mentor. He was here on November 12 to campaign for you. He started his Mumbai campaign in Ghatkopar East at Pantnagar.
Some reporter asked me, 'Why is Amitbhai coming to Ghatkopar? Is it because it is a Gujarati area?'
Do you believe that Amitbhai came here (Ghatkopar East) because he is a Gujarati (later that evening Shah held a public rally in Kandivali West, also a predominantly Gujarati locality)?
Amitbhai is the home minister of India. We have to respect his post. We know the type of work that Amitbhai and Narendrabhai are doing for the country. Mornings to evenings, all 365 days, the way they are managing the country. It is not everyone's cup of tea, especially of the leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi -- to manage such a huge country like India so efficiently. We have to appreciate that.
Amit Shah came to my constituency because it is a part of his responsibilities. It was my request also. But he did not come just because this is a Gujarati area. Amit Shah is the home minister of India and for him every part of India holds the same value.
But he came to campaign here as a senior BJP leader.
He has gone to campaign in so many places in Maharashtra, Jharkhand and wherever there ae elections. Also, remember that Ghatkopar is not entirely made up of Gujarati people. There are 26 per cent Gujaratis in Ghatkopar. Equal number of Maharashtrians also stay here. Uttar Bhartiyas and South Indians are also here.
Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders refer to you as the wealthiest candidate from Maharashtra. They saying your net worth has jumped more than 575 per cent between 2019 and 2024. That you are worth more than Rs 3,300 crore. Do you think this will set a negative narrative against you?
In the 2024 Lok Sabha election the MVA succeeded in setting a negative narrative that the BJP would change the Constitution (if it got more than 400 seats based on the BJP's Ab Ki Baar, 400 Paar slogan) and that the BJP is anti-Dalit. They misguided India's voters with this fake narrative.
My wealth in 2017 was Rs 750 crore (Rs 7.5 billion). In 2019 it became Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion). In 2024, it has become some Rs 3,300-odd crore. But this is all paper wealth.
In 2019 the stock price (of Man Infraconstruction -- a listed BSE and NSE company -- in which the 'promoter and promoter group' owns almost 67.18 per cent; as per the BSE Web site has a market capitalisation of Rs 6,400 crore/Rs 6.4 billion as on November 18, 2024) was Rs 19-20-22.
When I did the declaration (in an affidavit to the Election Commission of India in 2024) at that time it (the share price of Man Infraconstruction) was Rs 180. Post declaration the rate was Rs 195 (On Monday, November 18, the stock closed at Rs 172.05). The stock price keeps fluctuating. It doesn't mean that in last 10 days I have earned this wealth.
I have lost Rs 300 crore (Rs 3 billion) in the last 10 days because of the share price (On November 1, the stock price had hit a high of Rs 200 and has been on a decline since then).
People understand now these types of narratives will not work. In fact if I have earned money, even though it is paper wealth, what's wrong in earning money in an honest way? If my wealth has increased five fold, why should they (the MVA leaders) feel bad about it?
Did I make this money in an illegal or dishonest way? No. Did I take money (bribes) from anybody? No.
When honest, wealthy people come forward to serve India, people should feel proud and welcome them.
Yeh desh ne mujhe wealth diya hai, naam diya hai, izzat diya hai (I owe my wealth, fame and honour to this country) and I am grateful for that. This nation has given me lots of love and I feel proud about it. This makes me humble that I should return something back to my country.
Tomorrow if the Tatas or Ambanis enter politics, then should you feel proud about it, good about it or bad about it?
What's wrong with honest, well-meaning, people joining politics? Who want to do something good for their country? They should be welcomed with both hands.
What are you promising your voters? What are those projects that still need to be completed if you get elected from Ghatkopar East?
It's a process. We know that I am getting elected. It's not a question whether I will get elected or not. I never promised anything; there was no pre-election commitment -- neither in 2017 (when he ran for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation election and won), nor in 2019 (when he contested for the Legislative Assembly from Ghatkopar East and got elected).
I am not promising much in 2024 either. People of my constituency know that I am a workaholic, an honest guy. I (am in politics to) serve my country. I do work for my country.
I do not believe in doing any chunavi ghoshna (election promises) because whenever you promise something then you try to prove yourself right.
Every day the needs and wants of people are changing and it is my responsibility to fulfill these needs of my people and do better.
Could you outline major programmes initiated and completed by you in the last five years as the sitting MLA?
Two-three major issues: Ghatkopar East is a developed suburb. So there is not much scope of developing something new here. But yes, three things which were pending since 30, 35 years like the completion of pending work of a drainage line in a well-developed area like Garodia Nagar, which comprises 198 buildings.
There was no drainage line, no roads in this area for the last 35 years which we successfully completed. This was the first major work we did.
The work of constructing an over-bridge that connects Ghatkopar East to Vidyavihar West was also very important and had been pending for quite some time. That work has started. Almost 70-75 per cent work has been completed and we estimate that in the next six to eight months that ROB (railway over bridge) will also become operational easing out Ghatkopar's traffic quite a bit.
Thirdly, a major bridge was required from Ghatkopar bus depot to Shreyas cinema, a main traffic junction point. The piling work has started. In my next tenure (between 2024 and 2029 if he is elected) we will be able to complete that work. This will be the longest bridge in Ghatkopar.
Ghatkopar is divided into two parts: One is a developed area with big residential buildings, which houses the rich community. The other part, Kamraj Nagar and Ramabai Colony, which has a sizable area -- almost more than 200,000 people are staying there -- a slum area.
People are living a hellish life. I had promised them in 2019 -- because they were expecting redevelopment of their slums under the Slum Rehabilitation Authority scheme -- that since it's a big project, they should not depend on any private developer; that no private developer will be able to complete it successfully.
I told them that we will do it through the government. I'm happy because of the support of (Deputy Chief Minister) Devendra Fadnavisji, (Chief Minister) Eknath Shindeji, a Rs 8,000 crore (Rs 80 billion) government project has been launched; 16,700-odd tenements have already started getting rent. We are vacating the area.
The total housing requirement will be somewhere around 42,000 homes. The first phase involving construction of 16,750 houses has been launched. The second and third phase will be launched soon.
Simultaneously, we took care that the additional area, after vacating and housing the slumdwellers, will be dedicated for commercial use. So offices and an IT park will come here. This will generate employment. Those who are staying there will get preferred employment.
These are the major projects which we have been able to cover.
