PANAJI
Despite the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) remaining the single largest force by winning 29 seats, their drop in number from 33 seats in 2020, cannot be ignored. Even with the support of alliance partner Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), BJP could manage only 32 that still fall short of its 2020 standalone performance.
A major blow for the BJP came in six constituencies -- Aldona, Sirsai, Betqui-Khandola, Davorlim, Guirdolim and Khola -- where the party failed to retain seats it had won earlier. Significantly, all these seats were lost to the Congress, except for Betqui-Khandola -- where independent candidate swept it -- which has emerged as the principal beneficiary of the BJP’s erosion, managing a clean sweep in these segments.
Two of these defeats are particularly embarrassing for the ruling party, as they involve constituencies represented by sitting BJP MLAs Nilkhant Halarnkar and Govind Gaude. The inability of the party to convert Assembly-level influence into Zilla Panchayat victories points to disconnect between leadership and voters at the grassroots level, where local issues often outweigh state or national narratives.
The BJP also faced disappointment in Colvale, represented by sitting MLA Nikhant. Although the Colvale ZP seat had never formally been with the BJP, the party was widely seen as being in a position to wrest control this time. Its failure to do so underscores organisational weaknesses and ineffective local mobilisation. Sitting ZP member Kavita Kandolkar, wife of once MLA in BJP government -- Kiran Kandolkar -- retained the seat.
Admitting that the results were a setback, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the party would carry out a detailed assessment and take corrective steps going forward.
In contrast, the MGP appears to have held its ground. Having contested independently in 2020 and won three seats, the regional party managed to retain all three seats in the current election as well.
While this consistency provides stability to the BJP-led alliance numerically, it also highlights that the BJP’s losses were not offset by significant gains from its partner.
The comparison with the 2020 ZP elections is telling. Back then, the BJP had secured a commanding 33 seats on its own, reinforcing its dominance across rural and semi-urban Goa.
Five years later, the reduced tally suggests voter dissatisfaction over local governance, delivery of basic services, and representation, areas where Zilla Panchayats play a critical role.
While the BJP still retains numerical strength and the advantage of incumbency at the state level, the ZP verdict serves as a warning. The erosion of support in traditional and MLA-held areas indicates that the party can no longer rely solely on leadership stature or alliance arithmetic, and must urgently address grassroots concerns if it hopes to arrest further decline.
