Goa bypoll: BJP, Congress, AAP announce candidates for Ponda constituency

Ritesh Naik, whose father was a longtime Congressman who shifted to the BJP before the 2022 assembly elections, had previously contested unsuccessfully on Congress tickets

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday announced Ritesh Naik, son of former minister Ravi Naik, as its candidate for the upcoming by election to be held on April 9, an election necessitated after Ravi Naik who was the minister for Agriculture in the chief minister Pramod Sawant-led cabinet, passed away in October last year.

Speaking after being granted a ticket, Ritesh Naik thanked the party for reposing their faith in him. (File image)

The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also announced candidates for the election with the former opting for Ketan Bhatikar, a physiotherapist while the AAP has chosen Geetesh Naik, a local businessman.

Speaking after being granted a ticket, Ritesh Naik thanked the party.

“This is an opportunity to take my father’s work forward. I’m confident that people who supported my father over the last 40 years in politics will continue to support me and take the work forward,” Ritesh said after his nomination was officially announced.

Ritesh Naik, whose father was a longtime Congressman who shifted to the BJP before the 2022 assembly elections, had previously contested unsuccessfully on Congress tickets in both 2012 and 2017 assembly elections.

Ravi Naik, a former Goa chief minister, was in politics since the late ‘80s. He became the chief minister on two occasions, both times leading a Congress led coalition government in the early ‘90s, while he served as Home Minister during the tenure of Goa CM Digambar Kamat between 2007 and 2012. He passed away on October 14 last year following a heart attack.

For Congress candidate Bhatikar, it will be his third election, having contested both the 2017 assembly elections as well as the 2022 assembly elections losing narrowly each time in multi-cornered fights.

Naik, was inducted in the AAP a few days ago in the presence of party convenor Arvind Kejriwal, is a noted figure in the constituency and it will be his first election.

While the election will be held on April 9, the result will be declared on May 5.