PANAJI
All India Congress Committee (AICC) Goa desk in-charge, Manikrao Thakre has backed Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Amit Patkar over allegations that the cancellation of the Ponda by-election was orchestrated by the BJP in connivance with the Election Commission of India (ECI).
Addressing a press conference, Thakre said, “Fearing defeat at the hands of Congress, the BJP has conspired to get the by-election cancelled, as the petitioner is reportedly linked to the BJP.”
Echoing similar concerns, Patkar alleged that the government’s submission in the Bombay High Court opposing the election reflected its intent, as a Congress victory was anticipated. He added that the move sets a wrong precedent in Goa’s political landscape.
Congress leader Girish Chodankar said the party is preparing to challenge the High Court’s verdict in the Supreme Court of India. “Our lawyers in Delhi are ready to challenge the High Court order. However, the official copy of the judgment is yet to be made available, and with elections scheduled for tomorrow, no party has been able to file an appeal yet,” he said.
Congress leaders also pointed out that postal voting had already begun, with votes already cast, and questioned why the petition was not dismissed earlier.
They further questioned the ECI over the delay in conducting the by-election following the death of former minister Ravi Naik. “By March 2027, more than one and a half years would have passed since his death. Why was the election not declared within 15 days?” they asked.
The party alleged that the election was announced nearly five months after Naik’s demise despite awareness of the one-year tenure rule, calling it a “clear setting” between the BJP and the ECI.
