PANAJI:
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has adopted a cautious wait-and-watch stance amid growing speculation over a possible political understanding between the Congress and the Vijai Sardesai-led Goa Forward Party (GFP) ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
The development comes over a month after AAP and GFP had formally launched the 'Goa First' alliance, projecting a united Opposition front against the ruling BJP.
Amid reports that Congress and GFP are moving closer politically, AAP Goa president Valmiki Naik refused to be drawn into the speculation.
"There are no official announcements. Only speculative media reports. We will comment when it happens rather than speak on a hypothetical situation," Naik told reporters.
Naik reiterated that the 'Goa First' alliance was announced after extensive discussions between AAP and GFP and remains intact as far as the party is concerned.
"AAP and the Goa Forward Party officially announced the alliance after much deliberation. Sardesai has not informed us that he has broken the alliance," he said.
Discussions among Opposition parties, meanwhile, will only intensify in the days to come as the 2027 Assembly elections draw closer.
Sources within AAP, meanwhile, indicated that the rapidly shifting political landscape in Goa's Opposition space has left the party leadership wary of making any hasty moves.
The uncertainty surrounding Opposition unity and the fluid nature of the emerging political equations have prompted AAP's central leadership to tread carefully, party sources said.
According to a source, the latest developments have come as a surprise to the party's national leadership, which had viewed the Goa First alliance as a significant step towards building a broader Opposition platform.
The evolving situation has also reinforced concerns within AAP about the reliability of pre-poll alliances and the challenges of forging a cohesive Opposition bloc in Goa.
