THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024
Team Herald
PONDA: In an unexpected development, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) backed councillor Shantaram Colvekar on Tuesday defeated hot favourite Ritesh Naik, BJP councillor and son of local MLA Ravi Naik to become the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC) chairperson. However, the BJP later removed Shantaram as president of its Ponda Mandal.
Shantaram received support from two Goa Forward Party and five MGP councillors to defeat Ritesh by 8-7 vote margin.
The news of Shantaram’s victory took Pondaites by surprise as they were confident that Ritesh would be elected as the next chairperson.
However, both the MGP and GFP later clarified that the election was not fought on political party lines as likeminded councillors came together.
Addressing media persons, Shantaram said, “The PMC election was not fought on party lines and added that he was offered support by councillors from other parties.”
GFP leader and Councillor Venktesh Naik said, “PMC election was not on party lines. We likeminded councillors of MGP and GFP elected Shantaram for the development of Ponda.”
MGP leader Ketan Bhatikar said, “Likeminded councillors united and elected Shantaram as PMC chairperson for the development for Ponda.”
The chairperson’s post fell vacant following the resignation of the then BJP-backed chairperson Vishwanath Dalvi.
Meanwhile, in a late development, BJP president Sadanand Tanavade removed Shantaram Colvekar from the party’s Ponda Mandal president’s post.
It may be recalled that last year, three Congress councillors namely Ritesh, Anand Naik and William Aguiar joined BJP. There were rumours that BJP was planning to give the ticket to Ritesh to contest the upcoming Assembly elections either from Marcaim or Ponda.
