Questions being raised about future of local parties in a rapidly evolving political landscape
The Two Leaves symbol board at the Margao office of the now defunct United Goans Democratic party.
MARGAO
As two Salcete-based regional political parties — the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) and the Goa Vikas Party — now face the prospect of being de-listed by the Election Commission from the list of registered political parties, questions are being raised about the future of local parties in a rapidly evolving political landscape increasingly dominated by national and emerging regional players.
Once prominent forces in Goan politics during the 1990s and 2000s, both the UGDP and the Goa Vikas Party appear to have faded into political oblivion, with no current representation in the Legislative Assembly and no significant grassroots presence.
For over a decade and a half, these two parties offered an alternative for voters disillusioned with the Congress, providing a vehicle to express anti-Congress sentiment without supporting the BJP. However, new political entrants such as the Aam Aadmi Party, Goa Forward Party, and the Revolutionary Goans Party are now competing for a slice of the non-BJP vote in what has traditionally been considered a Congress stronghold, signalling a clear shift in the region’s political dynamics.
A range of factors appears to have contributed to the decline of these two regional parties. Chief among them are a lack of financial resources, the absence of dedicated full-time party workers, and a credibility crisis brought on by frequent defections and shifting allegiances of MLAs elected under their banners.
A glance at the show-cause notice issued by Goa’s Chief Electoral Officer, Sanjay Goel, IAS, reveals that the United Goans Democratic Party and the Goa Vikas Party have failed to field a single candidate in any election — whether to the Lok Sabha, the State Legislative Assembly, or in any by-elections — over the past six years, since 2019.
This means that none of these parties contested the 2019 Lok Sabha election, the 2022 Goa Assembly polls, or the 2024 Lok Sabha election — a telling indicator of their political inactivity and declining relevance.
UGDP was once a force
to reckon with in Salcete
The United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) once made a significant mark on Goa’s political landscape, particularly in the minority-dominated areas of Salcete and beyond. Emerging as a formidable challenger to the Congress, the party made its presence felt under the leadership of former party supremo Churchill Alemao. Its breakthrough came in the 1994 Assembly elections, when it won three seats in Salcete by defeating political heavyweights such as former Chief Ministers Francisco Sardinha and Monte Cruz, and former state Congress president, the late Shantaram Naik.
The regional outfit seemed unstoppable in its early years. In 1996, the UGDP made its presence felt at the national level when Churchill Alemao cut short the long parliamentary career of former Congress Union Minister Eduardo Faleiro, winning the South Goa Lok Sabha seat. The party further consolidated its standing by winning the Benaulim bypoll that followed Alemao’s move to Parliament.
However, political observers began to express doubts about the UGDP’s future when Churchill Alemao rejoined the Congress just before the 1999 Assembly elections. Despite the setback, the UGDP managed to retain some ground, winning two seats through Jose Philip D’Souza and Suresh Parulekar, who contested on the party’s iconic 'Two Leaves' symbol.
The UGDP’s winning streak continued into the 2002 Assembly elections, securing three seats: Atanasio Monserrate from Taleigao, Matanhy Saldanha from Cortalim, and Mickky Pacheco from Benaulim. Pacheco notably emerged as a "giant killer" by convincingly defeating Churchill Alemao, now contesting against his former party.
However, that election marked the last time the UGDP had any significant presence in the Goa Legislative Assembly. A steady decline followed. Political analysts attribute this to a major credibility crisis when MLAs elected on the UGDP ticket switched allegiances overnight and took ministerial positions in the BJP government under the late Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar.
Though the UGDP contested a few seats in the 2012 Assembly elections, it failed to win any, further diminishing its relevance.
Speaking about the party’s decline, UGDP Secretary General Adv. Anacleto Viegas admitted, “The party lost its way midway through the journey due to a host of factors. People began losing trust in the UGDP after our MLAs supported the BJP government. That’s not all — we lacked the resources and the organizational infrastructure to take the party forward. It was largely run by professionals who were part-time politicians.”
Anacleto further stated that while he still hopes for the UGDP to remain politically relevant, the odds are heavily stacked against the party. “I will consult with our former members regarding the show-cause notice issued by the Election Commission before deciding on our next course of action,” he added.
Goa Vikas Party resurrected
in 2012 by Pacheco
In the run-up to the 2012 Assembly elections, former Minister Mickky Pacheco quit the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) following a fallout with leaders of the Congress-NCP alliance, deciding instead to chart his own political path. In a surprising move, Mickky revived the dormant Goa Vikas Party (GVP) and entered the electoral fray under its banner.
To the surprise of many political observers, the GVP tasted instant success. Riding a strong anti-Congress wave that swept through the Salcete region and beyond, the regional outfit secured two seats. Mickky, who shifted his constituency from Benaulim to Nuvem, ended the nearly two-decade-long political career of Congress heavyweight Alexio Sequeira. In Benaulim, the party also opened its account, with GVP candidate Caitu Silva defeating Valanka Alemao, daughter of veteran leader Churchill Alemao.
However, the party failed to build on its early success. Post-election, the GVP extended support to the BJP-led government headed by the late Manohar Parrikar. Mickky was eventually inducted into the Cabinet, albeit at the tail end of the term.
Soon after, a leadership tussle emerged between Mickky Pacheco and Lyndon Monteiro over control of the party. The dispute ultimately ended in Lyndon’s favour. Mickky later aligned himself with the Goa Su-Raj Party ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections, but the party failed to make an impact.
Lyndon, who has had no association with the GVP since 2020, reflected on the challenges faced by regional parties: “Regional parties have their own limitations. They often face a severe resource crunch, including lack of manpower. Without adequate resources, it's nearly impossible to take on the established political players,” he said.
He also acknowledged a key issue affecting the credibility of regional outfits: elected MLAs extending support to ideologically opposing parties, betraying the mandate of their electorate.
