Civic polls: From PhD to matric pass & from millionaires to middle-class, candidates from all walks of life in fray

LUCKNOW The 13 candidates contesting the mayoral elections in Lucknow this time do not just represent different political approaches but also the various strata of our society. While some candidates own assets worth crores, others come from a modest background. Similarly, while a few candidates have a Master’s degree and above, two of them don’t even have an undergraduate degree.

The richest of the 13 candidates in the fray is BSP’s Shaheen Bano. She has declared assets worth ₹27.29 crore. The distant second is Congress candidate Sangeeta Jaiswal with a net worth of ₹7.2 crore, followed by BJP candidate Sushma Kharakwal ( ₹2.6 crore), SP candidate Vandana Mishra ( ₹2.4 crore). At the other end of the spectrum is Lok Dal candidate Madhu Sen with declared assets worth ₹3.3 lakh, the lowest among the 13 candidates.

Coming to their educational background, independent candidate Nalini Khanna, with assets worth ₹10 lakh, is a doctorate. She pursued her PhD from Lucknow University, making her the most educated candidate in the fray. Samajwadi Party’s mayor pick Vandana Mishra holds an MPhil degree in international relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. Similarly, AAP candidate Anju Bhat, with assets worth ₹80 lakh, is a lawyer by profession. Meanwhile, Madhu Sen of Lok Dal, who holds an MBA degree, wants to improve the financial health of LMC with her expertise.

On the other hand, we have independent candidate Manju Doharey, who did not study beyond Class 10th. The least qualified among them all, Manju has assets worth ₹31 lakh. Another independent candidate Lakshmi Kushwaha, with assets worth ₹43 lakh, is an intermediate pass. Significantly, BJP candidate Sushma Kharakwal holds a BA degree whereas Congress candidate Sangeeta Jaiswal has pursued BSc. Alka Pandey of SBSP, who has assets of ₹3.7 crore along with a fleet of premium cars, holds a BSc degree.

“I may not be the richest but I have a better vision for the development of the city due to my educational background. I completed my PHD from Lucknow University (LU) in 2003. I plan to develop Lucknow as a better smart city,” said Nalini Khanna. Presenting a different game plan, Madhu Sen of Lok Dal said, “I am an MBA degree holder. I will use my knowledge to end the liabilities of LMC. I will work for better financial and solid waste management of the city.”

Sushma Kharakwal of BJP said, “I am a graduate but my political experience is over three decades. I have worked on the ground for years. It gave me more knowledge than those who only read books inside AC rooms. I know where I have to work and which problems are to be solved on priority.”