AAP exposes alleged BJP-MGP-Congress ‘Nexus’ in Ponda By-Poll; Claims pre-planned defection plot

Goa Khabar : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has launched a blistering attack on the political establishment in Goa, alleging a clandestine “setting” between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), and the Congress ahead of the Ponda by-election.

AAP State President, alongside Senior Vice President Sandesh Teleikar Dessai, held a press conference to reveal what they termed “concrete proof” of a nexus designed to mislead voters and facilitate post-election defections.

The Allegation: “Double Agents” on the Field

According to AAP leaders, high-ranking MGP officials and local representatives are publicly supporting the BJP candidate while simultaneously working on the ground for the Congress candidate.

Dessai presented evidence identifying four key individuals who were spotted at an MGP meeting in Nandanvan, held to bolster support for BJP’s Ritesh Naik, but have also been “actively campaigning” for Congress candidate Ketan Bhatikar:

• Priya Chari: Former MGP Zilla Panchayat (ZP) member.
• Manguesh Kundaikar: MGP Block President.
• Geetali Talauliker: Local Councillor.
• Raju Kavlekar: MGP associate.

“A Political Setting for Defection”

Sandesh Teleikar Dessai characterized this overlap as a deliberate strategy orchestrated by the BJP. He argued that the “nexus” serves to divide the opposition vote while ensuring that regardless of the winner, the allegiance eventually shifts back to the ruling power.

“This is a blatant attempt to mislead the people of Ponda,” Dessai stated. “It is a political setting by the BJP for post-election defection. How can individuals associated with the MGP-BJP alliance be working for a Congress candidate since the start of the campaign? The voters deserve to know who is truly fighting the BJP and who is just a placeholder.”

High Stakes in Ponda

The Ponda by-poll has become a high-stakes battleground, with AAP positioning itself as the only “authentic” opposition against a “fixed match” between the traditional powerhouses. By exposing these links, AAP aims to capitalize on voter fatigue regarding Goa’s history of political “hopping” and defections.

Neither the MGP nor the Congress leadership has officially responded to the specific allegations regarding the named individuals at the time of reporting.