Team Goemkarponn
PONDA: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has clarified that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will collectively decide its candidate for the upcoming Ponda by-election, stressing that ticket allocation is determined by the party and not by him personally.
“The party decides on the ticket; I don’t decide on it,” Sawant told reporters.
The by-election was necessitated following the demise of senior politician, former Chief Minister and Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik. With several aspirants from different political outfits eyeing the seat, the contest is expected to be a fierce multi-cornered battle, similar to the close three-way fight seen in the 2022 Assembly polls.
Local residents believe the bypoll will once again witness tough competition between the BJP, Congress and MGP, though the exact picture will emerge only after the Election Commission announces the schedule and political parties finalise their candidates.
Following Naik’s death, there has been a wave of public sympathy for his son Ritesh Naik, a councillor in the Ponda Municipal Council. Ritesh, along with his late father and brother Roy Naik, joined the BJP in 2022 after quitting the Congress. The BJP is reportedly weighing its options between Ritesh Naik and senior party worker Vishwanath Dalvi for the party ticket.
The Gomantak Bhandari Samaj, which holds significant influence in Ponda, has openly backed Ritesh and urged that he be elected unopposed to carry forward his father’s legacy. However, political observers doubt whether rival parties will heed this appeal, especially with multiple candidates preparing to enter the fray.
Despite the sympathy factor, a smooth victory for Ritesh appears uncertain. Power Minister and MGP leader Sudin Dhavlikar has indicated support for Ritesh as an alliance candidate, but the BJP has yet to make an official decision. Meanwhile, MGP functionary Dr Ketan Bhatikar has already announced his intention to contest as an Independent, asserting that he “never stopped working for the constituency” after his narrow defeat in 2022.
On the BJP front, Vishwanath Dalvi has expressed hope that his long-standing service to the party will be recognised with a nomination. From the Congress side, South Goa MP Capt. Viriato Fernandes has confirmed that Rajesh Verenkar is interested in contesting, though the final decision will rest with the party high command.
In the 2022 Assembly elections, Ravi Naik (BJP) had narrowly defeated Dr Ketan Bhatikar (MGP) by just 77 votes, securing 7,514 votes (29.12%) against Bhatikar’s 7,437 votes (28.82%), while Congress candidate Rajesh Verenkar finished third with 6,838 votes (26.51%).
