PANAJI
The Congress received a boost on Sunday as the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) announced it will not contest the April 9 Ponda by-election. Instead, the party will back Congress candidate Ketan Bhatikar.
RGP chief Manoj Parab said the decision was taken at a meeting of the party’s central executive committee.
Parab said, the Congress had not approached the RGP for an alliance and no discussions were held before the announcement of Bhatikar’s candidature.
"Despite this, we have decided to support the Congress in the larger interest of defeating the BJP, even though many party members are unhappy,” he said.
The move carries weight in Ponda, which the RGP considers a stronghold following its electoral performance in the 2022 Assembly elections where the party’s candidate Sanish Tilve secured 1,777 votes, nearly 7 per cent of the vote share.
That performance had strengthened calls within the party to contest independently this time but the leadership opted for a strategic withdrawal and Parab admitted the decision was not easy.
He said, the party was opting for a united front over individual gains.
The Ponda by-poll is expected to be a keenly watched contest and with the RGP stepping aside, the Congress is hoping to consolidate opposition votes against the BJP.
The April 9 election will now test whether this show of unity translates into electoral success.
Meanwhile, Congress' Goa desk in-charge Manickrao Thakre has welcomed the RGP's decision.
"We will work together to take on the BJP," Thakre said, adding that the support will immensely help the Congress in the Ponda by-election.
