Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Sep 24: Political activity among opposition parties in Goa has intensified ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Goa Forward Party (GFP) announcing an alliance while reports have emerged of separate discussions between the GFP and Congress.

The developments have raised questions about the future of opposition alliances in the State, particularly after AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal and GFP leader Vijai Sardesai announced their “Goa First” alliance in Panaji on September 12.

At the time, the two leaders said they had joined hands to fight corruption and political defections in Goa. They also criticised the approaches of both the BJP and Congress, describing them as “Pocket First”.

Within a week of the announcement, local media, including Prudent Media, reported that the GFP and Congress were discussing an alliance and a possible merger. GFP spokesperson Prashant Naik said, “Something positive will happen soon.” Sardesai, however, later said, “As of now, nothing is happening, and the media should give more weightage to my statement.”

According to Frontline, political observers have linked the reported change in Sardesai's position to pressure from his constituency and GFP workers. Raju Nayak, editor of Gomantak, was quoted as saying that some supporters viewed the GFP-AAP alliance as potentially splitting opposition votes, while a large section of Sardesai's supporters was considered closer to Congress.

History of Congress-GFP ties

Sardesai had previously sought an alliance with Congress and was part of the INDIA bloc during the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The GFP also allied with Congress during Goa's local body elections held less than a year ago.

According to the report, alliance discussions were halted in the first week of July after Sardesai expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of talks with Congress leadership in Goa and Delhi. He later indicated that he was willing to merge the GFP with Congress, but the proposal did not progress.

Reports cited by Frontline said the Congress central leadership was reluctant to proceed with a merger because of Sardesai's decision to join the BJP after the 2017 Goa Assembly election.

In the 2017 election, Congress won 17 Assembly seats, while the GFP won three and the NCP won one. The BJP won 13 seats. Sardesai subsequently joined the BJP-led government and served as Deputy Chief Minister.

The reported history has contributed to differences over a possible merger. Sardesai was reportedly seeking either the Leader of Opposition's position or the Goa Congress president's post following a merger. Yuri Alemao is currently the Leader of Opposition.

The report also noted Sardesai's recent association with former Goa Congress president Amit Patkar. The two had participated together in a protest against the proposed double-tracking of the railway line at Velsao in South Goa.

A new political outfit called the Goa Congress Party has also been formed, with its president reportedly close to Patkar. Frontline quoted sources as saying Congress leadership subsequently decided to hold talks with Sardesai despite the GFP's alliance with AAP.

Wider opposition alignment

The developments in Goa have also been viewed in the context of attempts by parties outside the BJP and Congress to build political space at the national level.

AAP national convenor Kejriwal has advocated a non-Congress, non-BJP political space. Separately, DMK Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi recently met Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray in Mumbai and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. Reports have also suggested that the DMK is exploring the possibility of a broader “Third Front” at the national level.

The AAP-GFP alliance in Goa has similarly been presented by its leaders as an arrangement outside both the BJP and Congress.

Goa's opposition landscape remains fragmented, with Congress, AAP, GFP and other parties seeking to establish their respective positions ahead of the 2027 Assembly election. Congress remains the only opposition party with a statewide organisational presence, while other parties have been exploring alliances to expand their electoral base.

The Congress and GFP discussions, if they continue, could have a bearing on the opposition's electoral arrangements in Goa. However, there has been no final announcement on a Congress-GFP alliance or merger, and the political situation remains fluid.