In the lead-up to the 2024 Maharashtra Assembly elections, Geeta Gawli, daughter of the former underworld don Arun Gawli, is considering running for the Byculla constituency on a Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) ticket. Geeta, a former Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) corporator, is reportedly in talks with the Shiv Sena UBT leadership, marking a potential alliance that could make the Byculla seat highly competitive.
Shiv Sena UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray’s personal secretary, Milind Narvekar, recently met Geeta and her mother, Asha Gawli, to discuss support for her candidacy. While no official confirmation has been made, reports suggest that the party is interested in bringing her into its fold for the upcoming polls. Geeta’s established base of support in Byculla, owing to her tenure as a corporator, is seen as a strong advantage in the race.
In the 2014 Assembly elections, Geeta Gawli contested for the Byculla seat with Shiv Sena’s backing but lost narrowly by 4,419 votes to Waris Pathan of the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM). In the 2019 election, she ran independently after Shiv Sena nominated Yamini Jadhav, who won against Pathan. Gawli managed to secure only 10,493 votes that year.
Now, with Yamini Jadhav having shifted allegiance to the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena, the Shiv Sena UBT is actively searching for a strong candidate to represent them in Byculla. Geeta Gawli is being viewed as a viable contender who could bring the constituency back under the Shiv Sena UBT umbrella, especially if she contests under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance.
Adding further complexity to the upcoming election is Yashwant Jadhav, the former chairman of the Mumbai civic standing committee and the husband of Yamini Jadhav, who is also expected to contest from Byculla, representing the Shinde faction. This sets the stage for a tight race in the constituency.
Geeta Gawli’s father, Arun Gawli, once a feared underworld figure, founded the Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) while in prison for his involvement in the murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar in 2008. He is currently serving a life sentence. Despite his criminal past, the Gawli family remains influential in Byculla.
Geeta Gawli’s potential candidacy is expected to inject both excitement and tension into the Byculla race, with her background and family legacy adding a unique element to the electoral dynamics.