I need to add custom css to jquery tabs when it is selected, how?

Question

I need to modify the css of .ui-state-active , .ui-widget-content .ui-state-active to the following:

.ui-state-active , .ui-widget-content .ui-state-active {
     background-image: url('images/tab-over.png') !important;
}

However, when I do that I get the desired effect but other elements on the website get affected when clicked. I want this function only when I click a tab.

Is there a safer way to do this ?

Here is my html code:

<div id="tabs">


    <div id="left-side">
    </div>



    <ul class="tab-menu">
        <li id="home">
        <a href="<%= Url.Action("GetCoreTab", "Tab") %>" class="a">
        <b>
            <div id="home" class="menu">
            </div>
        </b>
        </a>
        </li>
        <li><a href="<%= Url.Action("GetDatesAndLocationTab", "Home") %>" class="a"><b>
            <div id="dates-and-location" class="menu">
            </div>
        </b></a></li>
        <li><a href="<%= Url.Action("GetTariffTab", "Home") %>" class="a"><b>
            <div id="tariff" class="menu">
            </div>
        </b></a></li>
        <li><a href="<%= Url.Action("GetCustomerInformationTab", "Tab") %>" class="a"><b>
            <div id="customer-information" class="menu">
            </div>
        </b></a></li>
        <li><a href="<%= Url.Action("GetRatesAndChargesTab", "Tab") %>" class="a"><b>
            <div id="rates-and-charges" class="menu">
            </div>
        </b></a></li>
        <li><a href="<%= Url.Action("GetPaymentsAndVouchersTab", "Tab") %>" class="a"><b>
            <div id="payments-and-vouchers" class="menu">
            </div>
        </b></a></li>
        <li><a href="<%= Url.Action("GetDeliveryAndCollectionTab", "Tab") %>" class="a"><b>
            <div id="delivery-and-collection" class="menu">
            </div>
        </b></a></li>
        <li><a href="<%= Url.Action("GetGeneralTab", "Tab") %>" class="a"><b>
            <div id="general" class="menu">
            </div>
        </b></a></li>
        <li><a href="<%= Url.Action("GetEquipmentAndOtherDriversTab", "Tab") %>" class="a">
            <b>
                <div id="equipment-and-other-drivers" class="menu">
                </div>
            </b></a></li>
        <li><a href="<%= Url.Action("GetCustomerPreferencesTab", "Tab") %>" class="a"><b>
            <div id="customer-preferences" class="menu">
            </div>
        </b></a></li>
        <li><a href="<%= Url.Action("GetCustomerStatisticsTab", "Tab") %>" class="a"><b>
            <div id="customer-statistics" class="menu">
            </div>
        </b></a></li>
    </ul>

    <div id="right-side">
    </div>

</div>

Answer 1

If I don't misunderstand your question, you could simply do as following:

$('#tabs .tab-menu li a').click(function() {
    $('#tabs .tab-menu li').css('background-image', 'url("images/original-bg.png")');
    $(this).parent().css('background-image', 'url("images/tab-over.png")'; 
});