In a significant political development ahead of the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra, former Shiv Sena (UBT) corporator Tejasvee Ghosalkar formally joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday. The move came just hours before the state election commission was scheduled to announce the poll dates.
A High-Profile Induction Amidst Election Buzz
Tejasvee Ghosalkar, who previously represented ward number 1, was welcomed into the BJP fold by the party's Mumbai unit president, Ameet Satam. The induction ceremony was also attended by senior leader and legislative council member Pravin Darekar, along with other prominent office-bearers from the city unit.
The political transition is laden with personal tragedy. Ghosalkar's husband, Abhishek Ghosalkar, who was the corporator from the same ward before it was reserved for women, was fatally shot in February 2024. The shocking incident occurred during a Facebook Live session in his office, with the assailant identified as political aspirant Maurice Noronha. Following the killing, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray had condemned it as an unprecedented act of lawlessness.
Family Discord and Political Inheritance
The decision to switch parties appears to be rooted in both familial and political discontent. For the recent assembly elections, Tejasvee and her father-in-law, Vinod Ghosalkar—a former MLA—were both contenders for the Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket from the Dahisar constituency. The party leadership, under Uddhav Thackeray, left the final decision to the family. Ultimately, Vinod Ghosalkar contested but lost to BJP's Manisha Choudhary.
Sources indicate that Tejasvee's move to the BJP stems from internal family discord over who should inherit the political legacy. It is noted that Vinod Ghosalkar has another son, further complicating the succession dynamics within their political stronghold.
Seeking Justice and Development: The Corporator's Stance
Addressing the media after joining the BJP, Tejasvee Ghosalkar described her choice to leave the Thackeray camp as an emotionally difficult one. She explicitly linked her decision to two critical issues: the pace of the investigation into her husband's murder and the welfare of her constituency.
"The CID investigation into Abhishek Ghosalkar's death is moving at a very slow pace," she stated. "To expedite the investigation and to do development work in the ward, I have joined the BJP."
In a social media post, she elaborated on her challenges, writing about the immense difficulties faced while balancing politics, public service, and family responsibilities. "At such times, I repeatedly feel the need not just for a position, but for strength that supports me wholeheartedly, fearlessly, and openly," she expressed. While careful not to blame her former party, she concluded that based on recent experiences, a different path was necessary to solve people's problems and secure her children's future.
BJP's Vision and Electoral Calculations
BJP Mumbai chief Ameet Satam framed Ghosalkar's entry as an endorsement of the development work carried out over the past eleven years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the vision of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. He asserted that the "Marathi Manoos is now awakened and impressed by Mumbai's all-round development."
Satam further emphasized that her joining underscores the party's objectives for Mumbai: comprehensive development, enhanced safety, and the aspiration to see the "saffron flag of Hindutva atop the BMC building." On the question of her candidacy in the forthcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, Satam confirmed the party would consider it, with the final decision resting with the internal election committee. It is noteworthy that ward number 1 is now reserved as an OBC (Other Backward Class) ward.
This defection marks another shift in Mumbai's volatile political landscape, especially as major parties gear up for the crucial civic polls. It highlights issues of justice, local development, and the complex interplay of family politics in shaping electoral alliances.
