“BJP, AAP, Congress Lock Horns in Three-Way Fight for Ponda By-Poll”

Ponda: Ponda by poll is going to be an interesting contest as three major parties have decided to take a plunge into the polls. If Bharatiya Janata Party, Aam Aadmi Party and Congress Party candidates fill the forms tomorrow then it is going to be a three cornered fight.

In the three cornered poll erena, it is very difficult to predict the winning margin but it is sure that the winner will get either a wafer thin margin or will win with a thumping majority. Let us wait and watch the fun in a three cornered contest in Ponda.

It has also come to be understood from reliable sources, Mr Ritesh Naik, the official candidate fighting on BJP ticket while Mr Geetesh Naik contesting on AAP ticket and Dr Ketan Bhatikar from Congress Party will file their nomination papers tomorrow (Monday) for the Ponda be-election, the last day to do so. The by-election is slated to be held on April 9.

All India Congress Committee Goa desk in-charge, Mr Manik Rao Thakrey welcomed the decision of Revolutionary Goans Party to extend support to Congress candidate Dr Ketan Bhatikar in Ponda by-election. He said that support will help the party to win the election.

The BJP leader, Mr Vishwanath Dalvi changed his mind after meeting the chief minister, Dr Pramod Sawant in Sankhalim on Sunday and announced that he is withdrawing his claim for Ponda by- poll ticket and revealed that he will work for the official BJP candidate, Mr Ritesh Naik.

He also predicted that the party candidate will win with a comfortable margin and added that he will soon join the election campaign in Ponda from Monday onwards.

The president of RGP, Mr Manoj Parab said the aim of the party was to defeat the BJP candidate and it will focus on ground level work. He clarified that since no alliance has been officially declared, RGP will not go with the Congress and will campaign in its own way for the Ponda by-election.

The RGP MLA, Mr Viresh Borkar, said that a committee will be formed tp hold the discussions on alliance for the 2027 assembly elections. He added that the party’s alliance committee will engage in talks with other parties soon after the Ponda by-election, in the interest of Goa, He also stated that a clear cut deadline will be set for these alliance discussions.