MARGAO
Aam Aadmi Party’s decision to go solo in the coming polls in Goa may have come as a shock and surprise in political circles, more so when AAP’s state’s leadership have been openly batting for opposition Alliance to checkmate the BJP.
The 2027 polls for the Goa Legislative Assembly is exactly two years away, and sources say the decision to go solo is AAP’s way of going to the polls from a position of strength.
In fact, when the media questioned AAP national leader Atishi Marlena whether there will be a rethink on party’s decision to go solo given that the Assembly polls are still two years ago, Atishi shot back, “As of now, the party has decided to contest all the three elections on its own”.
Take note, both the ZP election and the Municipal polls are scheduled to take place before the 2027 Assembly election. It is also a fact that there’s been clamour in Congress circles to dump the alliance with AAP. It is not out of place to mention here that voices have been heard loud and clear in the Congress camp that the Party should not concede any seats to AAP in Salcete other than the seats of Velim and Benaulim held by the Arvind Kejriwal-led party in Goa in the event the two parties bat for the INDIA bloc.
Against this backdrop, sources say the AAP leadership might have taken the decision to bargain with the Congress from a position of strength. And, what better way to do hard bargaining with the Congress for more seats by proving its strength in the coming ZP and civic polls.
For, besides representing Velim and Benaulim in the Goa Legislative Assembly, AAP has set its eyes firmly on the Assembly segments of Curtorim and Navelim, besides a couple of seats beyond Salcete. In the event AAP retains the Benaulim ZP seat and manages to win a couple of seats in the November 2025 Zilla Panchayat polls, sources say such a situation will bolster party’s bargaining position and to dictate terms to like-minded parties, including Congress, fighting for the same non-BJP, secular space, in the run up to the 2027 Assembly polls.
