The Congress Party, which is otherwise known for delays, indecisiveness and internal squabbling, has taken a head start by announcing its candidate in less than two days after the Election Commission announced the April 9 date for the Ponda by-election. Despite the tenure of this seat being less than a year, as the State is going into Assembly elections in 2027, the Ponda bypoll will be keenly watched and could be a crucial test for the BJP against the backdrop of the wave of protests the government is facing across the State.
Congress has taken no time to zero in on Dr Ketan Bhatikar because of the simple fact that he took the fight against veteran Ravi Naik in the 2022 elections to the wire, having lost by 77 votes. A former leader of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), his switch to the Congress last month is seen as a strategic move aimed at bolstering the party’s prospects in Ponda. However, the initial opposition to Bhatikar from the local party block reflects internal divisions, and the party would still be grappling over the unity factor as the election stage draws near. The fact that senior Congress leaders like AICC general secretary K C Venugopal and party president Mallikarjun Kharge have endorsed his candidature signifies the party’s strategic focus on consolidating its position in Ponda.
Parties, including the BJP, and more especially the Congress, have faced such challenges in the past with local loyalties, ideologies, winnability and insider-outsider parameters resulting into divisions within parties. Candidates imposed by High Commands and local party leadership have often been met with hostility. The major advantage that Bhatikar enjoys is that he has proved to be a force to reckon with at the hustings, and comes with electoral goodwill. How well the party manages to navigate the internal rumblings is to be seen.
Meanwhile, the BJP’s approach reflects its cautious and strategic stance. The party has shortlisted Ravi Naik’s son, Ritesh and Vishwanath Dalvi for the Central Parliamentary Board to decide. The saffron party is banking on political lineage and experienced local cadres to secure its position. Dalvi has a strong municipal council base and involvement in party organisation politics, while Ritesh comes with his father’s political legacy and grassroots presence in Ponda.
The broader political context in Goa adds layers of complexity to this by-election. While Ponda has been a battleground for MGP, Congress and BJP, the 2022 Assembly election saw RGP and AAP making small inroads, a vote-share that proved decisive in a close finish. In the current scenario, it remains to be seen how RGP and AAP position themselves, as their participation can have a bearing on the result.
The Ponda by-election is more than a local contest because the result will have wider implications beyond the electoral boundaries and serve as a barometer to gauge the political sentiments of the voters. The contest promises to be a microcosm of Goa’s evolving political landscape — a battle between regional aspirations, party loyalties, and the quest for electoral dominance.
