Arun Gawli opts out of the race, will support Congress

Underworld don turned politician Arun Gawli on Tuesday declared that he would not contest the Lok Sabha elections from Mumbai South, thus giving a reprieve to Milind Deora (Congress) and Mohan Rawle (Shiv Sena).

Gawli has maximum support among Marathi voters who constitute his political mainstay. Rawle hopes that with Gawli’s withdrawal a sizeable number of Marathi voters will stay with Sena even if Gawli exhorts them to vote for the Congress.

Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) spokesperson and Gawli’s daughter Geeta said, “My father has decided to opt out of the elections to support Milind Deora.”

The sudden decision has come as a surprise with everybody in the political circles wondering what had transpired between Deora and Gawli that brought the change of heart.

Gawli is presently in custody under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). “My father is in prison and it would be difficult for him to tour the constituency. We have decided to support the Congress in Mumbai South,” said Geeta, a corporator.

Earlier, Gawli was offered a ticket from Bahujan Samaj Party on the condition that he should merge his ABS with Mayawati’s party. Gawli refused and decided to contest on his own as an independent candidate.

Gawli is the sitting legislator from Chinchpokli constituency. He wields political clout around Dagdi Chawl, his residence and the ABS’ headquarters.