Setback for Gawli Dynasty: Election Defeat in Mumbai

In a blow to Arun Gawli's political influence, his daughters Geeta and Yogita lost their BMC election bids in south Mumbai. Both had contested from Byculla wards but were defeated by Samajwadi Party and BJP candidates, respectively. This marks a significant decline in the Gawli family's local dominance.

In a significant development for the political landscape of south Mumbai, the daughters of former gangster and politician Arun Gawli faced defeat in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections held on Friday. Geeta Gawli, seeking re-election from ward 212, lost to the Samajwadi Party's Amrin Shezad Abrahani, while her sister Yogita Gawli was defeated by BJP's Rohidas Lokhande in ward 207.

Both losses signify a considerable decline in the Gawli family's influence, which has been prominent in the Byculla region for nearly twenty years. Despite his incarceration, Arun Gawli, popularly known as 'Daddy of Dagdi Chawl', had actively campaigned for his daughters, organizing roadshows across the area. His sister-in-law's unsuccessful bid on a Shiv Sena ticket further highlights the family's political challenges.

Arun Gawli, a former MLA and underworld figure, had recently been released on bail after serving over 17 years for the 2007 murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar. The Supreme Court's decision to grant bail marked his public re-emergence, yet his daughters' electoral performance suggests a waning legacy.

(With inputs from agencies.)