PANAJI
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Goa Forward Party (GFP) on Sunday unveiled a pre-poll alliance, christened “Goa First”, for the 2027 Goa Assembly elections, and positioned it as a non-BJP, non-Congress alternative, expressing confidence of forming the next government on its own strength.
Announcing the alliance at a press conference along with GFP president, Vijai Sardesai, AAP legislators Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, and other leaders of both parties, AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal said Goa’s voters were looking for change.
He said, the BJP is in no position to secure a majority and asserted that the new front would emerge victorious at the elections and lead the next government.
Kejriwal said the announcement is being made on the eve of Ganesh Chaturthi festivities and the decision was taken on the back of growing public dissatisfaction with both national parties.
GFP's Sardesai termed the alliance the “first front of Opposition unity” in Goa and said it was formed five months before the election to provide space to evolve into a credible challenger and alternative.
He said, the BJP had repeatedly retained power despite falling short of a clear mandate through defections of MLAs from the Congress party.
Sardesai said both parties shared a commitment to preventing political opportunism and cited AAP’s Goa MLAs, Capt Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva, as examples of legislators who resisted pressure to defect.
He maintained that AAP and GFP had both the moral and ethical responsibility to unite against the BJP.
Responding to a query, Kejriwal said it was a non-BJP-non-Congress alliance and added that repeated defections had eroded the people's trust in the Congress.
"BJP supporters are also unhappy at being represented by leaders who had switched sides from the Congress," Kejriwal said.
“The people of Goa have been disappointed by both parties. They now want a credible alternative that will put Goa’s interests first,” he said.
To another question of who will be the CM face of the alliance, Kejriwal said no decision on it has been taken as of now.
"This is a partnership of equals committed to clean politics and loyalty to the people," Kejriwal said.
Taking a swipe at the BJP and Congress, he alleged that both had prioritised power and money over public welfare, while “Goa First” would remain focused on protecting the State’s interests.
Rejecting allegations that AAP splits anti-BJP votes, Kejriwal said, the party had consistently attracted support from disillusioned BJP voters in States where it contests elections.
Sardesai, meanwhile, indicated that the alliance would remain open to other like-minded political forces. According to him, several leaders disillusioned with existing political formations had already approached the front.
'Our MLAs never
defected’
AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal said leaders of his party had never breached public trust with defections.
Responding to a query, he said, the recent exit of seven AAP Rajya Sabha MPs to the BJP, Kejriwal said they were nominated by the party and their defection was a "betrayal (dhoka)" to the party not the public.
"Our two MLAs in Goa never defected despite BJP's concerted efforts. We have one MLA in J&K who never defected. In Gujarat we have five and they (BJP) managed get one to resign. But we defeated the BJP in the subsequent by-election," Kejriwal said.
2017 was not a
betrayal: Vijai
Sardesai said his party's post-poll decision to join the Manohar Parrikar-led coalition government in 2017 was not a betrayal either of the Congress or the mandate.
"We had no pre-poll alliance. In fact they put up candidates against us, including me. So why was there an expectation that post-poll we would support the Congress?," Sardesai shot back.
