PANAJI
An intriguing battle is unfolding in Goa’s hinterland political heartland. Power Minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar and the Ravi Naik scions — Ritesh and Roy — are flexing muscle in each other’s turf, setting up a confrontation that could unsettle the saffron alliance and reshape Ponda taluka politics ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Last week, Dhavalikar and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), led by his brother Pandurang, opened a new office in Ponda town. The move was projected as part of efforts to “strengthen the party” in the taluka. It signalled intent: the MGP is not content to remain confined to its traditional bastion of Marcaim alone.
The Naik brothers responded swiftly. Roy Naik mobilised political opponents of Dhavalikar across Marcaim constituency and held a strategy session on Sunday. The message was clear – if Dhavalikar invades Ponda, the Naiks will challenge him in Marcaim, a constituency he has held since 1999.
The action‑reaction dynamic has raised eyebrows in political circles and the developments are particularly sensitive for the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Both the BJP and MGP have publicly committed to contesting the 2027 elections in alliance. Yet, turf wars between the alliance partners in Ponda taluka risk straining that arrangement.
The Naiks, with their past Congress lineage, are positioning themselves as formidable players in the taluka, while the Dhavalikars are signalling interest beyond the solitary Marcaim seat.
Complications extend further. Accommodating the younger Dhavalikar in Shiroda or Priol could prove difficult for the alliance. Both constituencies are currently held by BJP MLAs – WRD Minister Subhash Shirodkar in Shiroda and former Minister Govind Gaude in Priol.
Any attempt to carve space for Dhavalikar’s younger brother, also a former minister, could trigger internal friction within the BJP and the battle playing out on the ground in Ponda and Marcaim is much more than optics.
It reflects Goa's shifting sands politics, where family legacies and personalities matter more than ideologies and party alliances.
For the ruling BJP‑MGP alliance, the challenge will be to manage these rivalries without weakening its collective position against the Opposition as 2027 approaches.
