PANAJI: The Aam Aadmi Party’s Goa Core Committee on Monday accused the BJP and Congress of jointly “destroying Goa” over the last decade and questioned Goa Forward Party (GFP) chief Vijai Sardesai on whether he stood with the alleged BJP-Congress “joint venture” or the people of Goa.
AAP Goa president Valmiki Naik said Goa’s political history since statehood had been marked by defections and party splits, but claimed the practice had reached an unprecedented level over the last decade. “Decisions are being made looking only at five-year terms, whereas we are thinking about the future,” Naik said.
Quoting the saying, “If you don’t learn from history, you are bound to repeat it,” Naik said that in 40 years, only twice had a party won and completed a full five-year government without resorting to defections or other methods. He claimed the BJP and Congress had been responsible for major instances of defections and party splits in Goa. Naik said that earlier, when defections took place, elected representatives would resign and seek a fresh mandate, while in some cases mid-term elections or President’s Rule followed. “But over the last 10 years, we have seen a complete mockery of democracy,” he said.
Naik alleged that a BJP-Congress “joint venture” had emerged in Goa, where the party voted for by the electorate did not necessarily determine who eventually formed the government. “The BJP remains fully confident that regardless of who you vote for, with Congress’s help, they will form the government again in 2027,” he alleged. He also compared Goa’s political trajectory with Gujarat, where the BJP has remained in power for more than three decades. Referring to Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of elements within the Congress in Gujarat allegedly helping the BJP remain in power, Naik claimed a similar pattern was being repeated in Goa.
AAP cited the 2017 Assembly elections, when Congress emerged as the single largest party but the BJP formed the government, followed by defections. Naik said the party feared another round after the 2027 elections. “Despite candidate oaths taken in temples, churches and mosques and signed affidavits, defections occurred once again,” he said. Naik said voters were now asking political parties what guarantee they could provide that elected MLAs would not switch sides. “When visiting villages, people ask: ‘You ask for our vote, but what guarantee is there that elected MLAs won’t jump ship?’” he said. He said that AAP working president MK Shaikh alleged that candidates being projected for the 2027 elections continued to maintain ties with the BJP. “All signs point to a hat-trick of defections and the return of the BJP-Congress joint venture in 2027,” Naik said.
He also accused elected representatives of joining the alleged political arrangement to recover money spent during elections, linking such practices to unemployment, crime and environmental destruction. He alleged that commercial projects, including those in Karapur, reflected an attempt to benefit the builder lobby. Naik said the Goa First Alliance was its response to the situation, reiterating that it would be a non-BJP, non-Congress alliance led by AAP and regional forces. “Our position is explicit: the Goa First Alliance is a non-BJP, non-Congress alliance led by AAP and regional forces,” Naik said.
Naik also referred to Ponda, claiming even sitting BJP MLAs had expressed uncertainty over securing party tickets and hinted at possible exits. “While Congress claims they won’t join the BJP, history proves otherwise,” he said.
AAP MLA Venzy Viegas said the platform was open to all non-BJP, non-Congress leaders and was aimed at delivering a “defection-free and corruption-free government”. On the possibility of regional parties such as the GFP joining, Viegas said discussions had focused on creating a firm non-BJP, non-Congress platform. He also questioned Sardesai on where he stood. He further pointed to his own record, saying he is among two AAP MLAs elected in 2022 that has remained in the Opposition without defecting.
