MAPUSA
The Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP), contesting the Zilla Panchayat elections for the first time, has emerged as one of the key takeaways of the polls by putting up a strong and politically significant performance, particularly in Bardez and the St Andre belt.
The party opened its account by winning two ZP seats, both linked to its St Andre MLA Viresh Borkar, signalling its ability to convert grassroots support into electoral success.
RGP wrested the St Cruz seat, unsettling the Congress which had held the constituency, and also bagged the St Lawrence seat, making a clear statement of intent in its maiden ZP outing.
In Bardez, although the party failed to win a seat, it put up a spirited fight in at least three constituencies. The voting pattern indicates that had the RGP tied up with the Congress“GFP alliance, the opposition could have decisively dislodged the BJP in the taluka.
In Calangute, Siolim and Anjuna, the combined vote share of the RGP and Congress candidates would have comfortably surpassed that of the BJP, potentially unseating the ruling party’s MLAs and altering the political narrative in Bardez.
The results also suggest that the RGP has struck a chord with local voters, positioning itself as a preferred alternative to national parties such as the Aam Aadmi Party.
Most RGP candidates were political newcomers drawn from the community, without traditional political backgrounds. Yet their ability to draw substantial vote shares points to a resonance with the party’s regional plank and grassroots messaging.
While it remains difficult to conclusively assess whether the party’s support base is driven more by young voters or a broader cross-section of the electorate, the clear preference for RGP over AAP underlines its growing acceptance.
Commenting on the outcome, RGP leader Rohan said the results reflected a wider movement in favour of the party.
“People understand the importance of RGP. It will not take much time for the party to grow and start winning more seats,” he said.
Rohan also termed the outcome a lesson for the Congress, which failed to forge an alliance with the RGP.
“If there had been an alliance, the BJP would have been reduced to zero. The voting pattern clearly shows that people want the BJP out,” he said.
Taken together, the ZP results indicate that the RGP has moved beyond being a fringe outfit and is fast emerging as a decisive factor in Goa’s fragmented opposition space, with the potential to reshape future electoral contests if strategic alliances are forged.
