MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA — In one of the most significant upsets of the 2026 BMC elections, the political grip of the Gawli family over Central Mumbai appears to have shattered. Despite the personal campaigning of the 76-year-old former underworld don-turned-politician Arun Gawli, both his daughters and his sister-in-law lost their respective wards on Friday, January 16.
The results signal a major shift in the “Dagdi Chawl” bastion, where the Gawli family has maintained a formidable presence for nearly two decades.
1. A Triple Blow to the Gawli Bastion
The losses spanned across the heart of South and Central Mumbai, where the family’s Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) party has historically dominated.
| Candidate | Ward / Area | Result | Winning Candidate |
| Geeta Gawli | Ward 212 (Byculla-Agripada) | Lost | Amrin Shezad Abrahani (SP) |
| Yogita Gawli | Ward 207 (Byculla-Chinchpokli) | Lost | Rohidas Lokhande (BJP) |
| Vandana Gawli | Ward 198 (Central Mumbai) | Lost | Aboli Gopal Khadye (Sena UBT) |
- Geeta Gawli: A three-term corporator who has been a prominent local face since 2007, Geeta was seeking a fourth term. Her defeat to the Samajwadi Party highlights a shift in the demographic voting pattern of the Byculla-Agripada belt.
- Yogita Gawli: Making her electoral debut, Yogita was seen as the “next generation” of the family’s political arm. However, she was unable to withstand the BJP wave in the Chinchpokli area.
- Vandana Gawli: Contesting on an Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena ticket, her loss to the rival Uddhav Thackeray faction (Sena UBT) adds to the family’s disappointing Friday.
2. The “Daddy” Factor Fails to Deliver
Arun Gawli, popularly known as “Daddy,” recently walked out of Nagpur Central Prison after the Supreme Court granted him bail last month. He was serving a life sentence for the 2007 murder of Shiv Sena corporator Kamlakar Jamsandekar.
- High-Stakes Campaign: For the first time in years, Gawli was physically present to canvass for his daughters. He led several high-profile roadshows and “Chawl meetings” to consolidate his traditional supporters.
- Waning Influence: Political analysts suggest that while Gawli remains a figure of curiosity and local legend, the younger electorate in Byculla is moving away from identity-based “strongman” politics toward mainstream development narratives pushed by the BJP and MVA.
3. Legacy of Dagdi Chawl
Dagdi Chawl has long been synonymous with Arun Gawli’s power. Geeta Gawli’s previous wins were often credited to the social work and “Grievance Redressal” systems run by the family from within the chawl. With no family member now representing the area in the BMC, the future of the Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) party remains uncertain.