Team Goemkarponn
PONDA: The battle over constituency allocation within Goa’s ruling alliance is beginning to take shape, with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) laying claim to seven Assembly seats ahead of the 2027 elections. Ponda, where the party’s candidate narrowly lost in 2022, is among the constituencies it intends to secure.
MGP leader and Power Minister Ramkrishna “Sudin” Dhavalikar has made it clear that the party will pursue its claim over Ponda, along with Marcaim, Mandrem, Pernem, Bicholim, Priol and Shiroda. The demands are expected to feature in discussions on the electoral arrangement with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Ponda remains politically significant for the MGP following the 2022 Assembly election, when its candidate Ketan Bhatikar lost to Ravi Naik by only 77 votes. Both leaders have since died, leaving the constituency vacant and its political equations subject to change.
Dhavalikar has questioned the suggestion that his party should relinquish its claim to Ponda. The constituency is one of several where the MGP hopes to establish its position before negotiations with the BJP begin.
The party’s demands also cover Priol and Shiroda, currently represented by BJP leaders Govind Gaude and Subhash Shirodkar, respectively. The allocation of these seats could become a contentious issue as both alliance partners prepare for the next election.
Before approaching the BJP leadership in New Delhi, the MGP plans to settle its position through meetings of its executive committee and general body. Dhavalikar has said the party will examine alliance-related matters, seat allocation and its broader electoral strategy through these internal deliberations.
The MGP’s annual general meeting, scheduled for tomorrow, will also consider whether Dhavalikar’s son should be fielded from Marcaim. The party will take a decision following the discussion.
Although the MGP wishes to continue its partnership with the BJP, Dhavalikar has stressed that the expectations of grassroots workers will be an important consideration in determining the party’s electoral course.
He has also clarified that constituency-sharing arrangements were not discussed during a recent meeting at Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s residence. According to Dhavalikar, his brother Deepak Dhavalikar attended the meeting at Sawant’s invitation.
