BJP betting on Ritesh for ‘son’rise in Ponda bypoll

Panaji: BJP on Thursday announced late agriculture minister Ravi Naik’s son Ritesh as BJP candidate for byelection in Ponda. However, it has triggered a strong resentment among BJP karyakartas in Ponda, who have supported Vishwanath Dalvi for the ticket.

With the resentment among karyakartas, it could be fresh trouble for BJP, which was already under stress to win the bypoll. BJP won the seat with just 77 votes in the 2022 assembly elections.

With MGP’s Ketan Bhatikar moving to Congress, it is likely to be a close fight in Ponda in case BJP fails to convince its karyakartas not to revolt against the party.

Bhatikar was in the second position in the last assembly elections.
Dalvi said that his supporters wanted him to contest the byelection, but he will take a final decision after meeting chief minister Pramod Sawant. “I am a loyal soldier of the party. We have worked at the grassroot level for the party,” Dalvi said, adding that he was shocked to hear that Ritesh was given a ticket.

Around 200 BJP karyakartas gathered outside Dalvi’s residence demanding that he should contest the byelection and protested against the party’s decision.

BJP had shortlisted two names for the party ticket, Ritesh and Dalvi, but it was clear that Ritesh would get the ticket as his father represented the OBC community and BJP was not in any mood to upset the OBC community ahead of the assembly elections scheduled next year.

BJP state president Damodar Naik, along with other senior party leaders, rushed to Dalvi’s residence to convince him not to take any drastic step.

Dalvi told TOI that he will ask the chief minister for the reasons behind denying him a ticket, whether there was any winnability issue or any other issue. “Based on the reply, we will decide on the future,” Dalvi said.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced the byelection for the Ponda assembly constituency on April 9, and counting on May 4.

Ravi Naik died from a heart attack in Ponda, on Oct 14, 2025, at the age of 79, leading to the need for a byelection.