Congress rank and file may be anxiously awaiting the outcome of the Ponda by-poll when the EVMs are opened for counting on May 4. Party leaders, however, appear to be waiting for May for an entirely different reason. Congress circles have been abuzz for some time with speculation that former Congress president Girishbab Chodankar could return to the helm after the Tamil Nadu elections, where he currently serves as the party in-charge. With counting scheduled for May 4, questions are being raised both within the party and outside: Will Girishbab reclaim the leadership, or will incumbent chief Amitbab Patkar continue till 2027? For now, it’s a wait-and-watch situation.
Senior Cong vice-president tasked
with holding talks with GF, RGP
Congress veteran and senior vice-president M K Sheikh appears to have been tasked with engaging the leadership of the Goa Forward Party and the Revolutionary Goans Party ahead of the Ponda by-poll. Sources indicate that Goa desk in-charge Manikrao Thakare had initially constituted a three-member panel comprising GPCC chief Amitbab Patkar, Leader of Opposition Yuribab Alemao, and M K Sheikh to hold discussions with the RGP and GF leadership. However, given Amitbab’s strained equations with RGP leaders and Yuribab’s recent outbursts against Vijaibab Sardesai, the responsibility seems to have been effectively delegated to Sheikh to handle the delicate negotiations with both parties. Watch this space.
Vijai puts ball in Cong court over
alliance ahead of Ponda bypoll
The Congress party is believed to have formally reached out to Goa Forward chief Vijaibab Sardesai to ascertain the regional party’s stand on the Ponda by-poll. According to sources, a senior Congress leader met Sardesai to discuss the upcoming contest, especially in light of the alliance between the two parties. During the meeting, Sardesai is said to have questioned whether his presence in Ponda would serve any purpose, given that some Congress leaders have labelled him a “Judas” and a “fixer.” Wait and watch as the Goa Forward Party Executive Committee meet is scheduled on Monday.
Was Digambar not kept in the loop
over govt’s plan to curtail Session?
As the debate over the passage of the Budget and the curtailment of the Assembly Session refuses to die down, one aspect stands out—PWD Minister Digambarbab Kamat’s insistence that the House is supreme. While other ministers and ruling party MLAs remained largely silent during the proceedings, Digambarbab forcefully asserted the primacy of the Assembly in all matters. At the same time, he clarified that his position does not, in any way, challenge the Election Commission. The larger question, however, remains: was Digambarbab was not kept in the loop regarding the government’s plan to curtail the Session after passing the Budget? Many questions remain unanswered.
The curious case of PI Vikram
Naik and his return to Colva
Who is Police Inspector Vikram Naik? That’s the question being asked along Salcete’s coastal belt and beyond since February last. The reason: PI Naik has returned to the Colva police station barely a month after his unceremonious exit following an incident in which villagers accused him of entering Colva Church with a posse of policemen. His trajectory has been anything but ordinary. Posted to Colva in mid-2025, he was transferred to Valpoi police station within five months—though the transfer was never implemented for unclear reasons. Then, after being officially moved out on February 11, 2026 following the church controversy, he has somehow found his way back to Colva yet again. Curious, to say the least.
