MAPUSA
Former Arpora-Nagoa sarpanch Roshan Redkar on Sunday threw down the gauntlet to his former political mentor, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo, announcing his decision to contest the 2027 Assembly elections and declaring that the BJP legislator would have to pack his bags if Congress fielded him.
“If Congress grants me the ticket, the present Calangute MLA will have to pack his bags,” Redkar said at a press conference attended by a large number of supporters.
Once a close aide of Lobo, Redkar has since fallen out with the MLA and emerged as an outspoken critic of the Lobo camp. His announcement signals a possible direct electoral challenge to the sitting legislator, although he has yet to commit to any political party.
Redkar said several parties had approached him and that he would consider any outfit committed to protecting Goa and working for the State. If no suitable party emerged, he was prepared to contest as an independent.
“I will take a decision at the right time after taking people into confidence. The people will decide whether I contest on a party ticket or as an independent,” he said.
The political fallout between the two has sharpened in the aftermath of the December 2025 Birch by Romeo Lane fire in Arpora, which claimed 25 lives. Redkar was arrested in connection with the case and subsequently disqualified as a panchayat member. His wife was later elected unopposed in the by-election to the ward vacated following his disqualification.
Redkar has blamed Lobo for his implication in the Birch case and recently challenged the Lobo couple over the matter, adding another layer to their bitter estrangement.
Taking aim at the MLA's record, Redkar alleged that development in Calangute had stalled over the past decade.
“Of the last 15 years, the first five saw good development, but nothing much has happened in the last 10 years,” he claimed.
While Redkar's electoral plans remain subject to his choice of party or an independent bid, Sunday's announcement puts his former association with Lobo firmly on a potential collision course in the 2027 polls. The challenge now is whether he can turn the support displayed at the press conference into a credible electoral force against the sitting MLA.
