Mumbai: Despite her 10-year-long partnership with the Shiv Sena, Geeta Gawli, the lone corporator from the Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) and daughter of Arun Gawli seems to be in a double mind this time.
With every corporator becoming of vital importance in the race for the mayor’s post, the Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are trying to woo Ms. Gawli to vote in their favour for the March 8 election.
On Thursday morning, Ms. Gawli visited Sena headquarters in Dadar to hold a meeting with party chief Uddhav Thackeray. After the meeting, Ms. Gawli did not disclose her decision, but said Mr. Thackeray had called her and she obliged the invitation considering her association with the party. According to sources, the discussions between Sena leaders and Ms. Gawli could not reach a conclusion and she had to leave unsatisfied. By evening, Ms. Gawli was invited to the Chief Minister’s official residence, Varsha . Neither Ms. Gawli nor BJP leaders chose to speak on the issue.
In the BMC, the Sena has 84 corporators while the BJP has 82. With the support of four independents, the Sena tally has reached 88. While the Congress, the NCP and the SP have already said that they do not support either of two parties, suspense over the position of Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s seven corporators and Ms. Gawli continues. If the BJP decides to contest the mayoral election, the MNS and Ms. Gawli will be crucial for both parties.
