The verdict is out, and the BJP emerged a clear winner, pocketing 29 constituencies out of the 50. However, while the party engages in number-crunching, the picture does not appear too optimistic for the saffron brigade with the Zilla Panchayat results, considered a semi-final ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, sending out clear messages to all political parties.
The BJP sounded elated, especially the leadership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the verdict reflected the people’s faith in good governance and progressive politics, and thanked the people of Goa for extending their support to the BJP–MGP alliance. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the result reflects acceptance of his government’s development agenda, policies, and governance. There was a celebration in the air as the BJP’s newly elected candidates lined up outside the party’s office in Panaji for photo ops.
However, behind the sense of jubilation, worry lines are showing, and once the dust settles, the leadership will have to introspect on the weak links. It will have to examine how it lost in constituencies where it was represented by MLAs. Overall, five BJP MLAs have conceded the seats to non-BJP zilla members, a major cause for concern for the party ahead of the 2027 elections. Moreover, the party conceded seven constituencies it held in 2020 — Aldona, Sirsaim, Betki-Kandola, St Lawrence, Davorlim, Guirdolim, and Khola. You win some, you lose some, so goes the adage, but in a party that seeks accountability, these losses will be hard to digest.
The Congress will take the result as a major booster against the consistent attack from AAP and RGP over defection politics. The fact that the party managed to win in ten constituencies against the five it held since 2020 will do a world of good to the rank and file of the party, which appeared to be disoriented and confused even on the eve of elections. The result also establishes the fact that Congress has consolidated itself as the principal opposition party, debunking the critique that AAP would take over, post the election, with an improved show. However, while Congress doubled its tally and reclaimed Salcete, it has conceded some of its strongholds of 2020, having lost St Cruz to RGP and Colva to AAP, add to this a dismal show in North Goa.
The biggest disappointment, however, came from the Aam Aadmi Party and the Revolutionary Goans Party, both of which flattered to deceive. While RGP managed to pull a second win at the fag end of counting, bagging St Lawrence, adding to the St Cruz seat won earlier in the day, AAP could muster the lone Colva seat, prevailing with a narrow margin. Both parties cut out a sorry figure against the hype they generated in the run-up to elections, with even AAP central convenor Arvind Kejriwal campaigning in the State for three days.
The dismal score of some candidates of AAP and RGP suggests that the parties have failed in their outreach and do not have the bandwidth to connect to wider sections. Rather, it is obvious that both have been rejected by the electorate in general. Goa Forward Party, which showed promise in the run-up to elections, failed to deliver in key areas, but has the consolation of winning in Raia besides helping alliance partner Congress in two other constituencies.
The Zilla Panchayat results were indeed a semi-final, drawing the broader contours of Goa’s political canvas; the question now is in which direction the parties would move from here.
