Sena fails to secure ABS Corporator's support for Mayoral poll

The Shiv Sena is understood to have failed in its efforts to secure the support of Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) Corporator Geeta Gawli for the March 8 Mumbai Mayoral poll.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led outfit, with 84 seats, emerged as the single largest party in the February 21 civic election but fell well short of the simple majority mark (114 in 227-member BMC) required to install its candidate as Mayor.
Party sources said Gawli today met Sena Minister Eknath Shinde and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai at Sena Bhavan but remained non-committal on supporting the party in the poll for the prestigious post.

"The deal with Geeta Gawli fell through as she wanted chairmanship of Health Committee in the first year and five- year membership of the Standing Committee in exchange for her support," a source in the Sena said.
Meanwhile, the BJP, which won 80 seats, is also trying to woo the ABS Corporator, who is the daughter of gangster- turned-politician Arun Gawli.
Sources in the BJP, which, too, is eyeing Mayor's post, said Gawli is scheduled to meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Gawli, Desai and Shinde were not available for comments.