Maharashtra Elections 2024: Former Don Arun Gawli's Daughter Geeta Likely To Contest Polls From Byculla On Sena UBT Ticket

Mumbai: Former Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) corporator Geeta Gawli is considering contesting the upcoming assembly elections from the Byculla constituency on a Shiv Sena UBT ticket. According to reports Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray's personal secretary, Milind Narvekar, recently visited Geeta and her mother Asha at their residence to discuss potential support. Geeta Gawli, daughter of former underworld don Arun Gawli, is reportedly seeking backing from Shiv Sena UBT, though party leaders have expressed interest in having her formally join their ranks.

According to a Hindustan Times report, a senior Shiv Sena UBT leader acknowledged Gawli's established base of support in Byculla, given her history as a former corporator. "If she contests as a candidate representing the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), her chances of winning are stronger," the leader told HT. In the 2014 assembly elections, Gawli, backed by Shiv Sena at the time, lost by a narrow margin of 4,419 votes to Waris Pathan of the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM).

Gawli's Performance In 2014 & 2019 Assembly Polls

Geeta Gawli had run for the Byculla seat in both 2014 and 2019 Assembly Polls but has yet to secure a victory. After her narrow loss in 2014, Gawli entered the 2019 election independently, while Shiv Sena nominated Yamini Jadhav, who ultimately defeated Pathan. Gawli only garnered 10,493 votes in that race.

Since Jadhav has now aligned with the Shinde faction, the Shiv Sena UBT is scouting for a strong candidate for the Byculla constituency. Yashwant Jadhav, the former civic standing committee chairman and husband of Yamini Jadhav, is expected to contest on behalf of his wife in the upcoming elections, making the race particularly competitive.

About Akhil Bhartiya Sena

Arun Gawli, Geeta's father and the former underworld figure, founded the Akhil Bhartiya Sena (ABS) while incarcerated for his involvement in the 2008 murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar. Arun Gawli is serving a life sentence for the crime.

He was previously elected to the state assembly in 2004 from the Chinchpokli constituency, which was later restructured during the delimitation process to create Byculla. Despite Arun Gawli's criminal background, the Gawli family continues to hold considerable influence in the Byculla area.