MARGAO
The confused state of affairs in the opposition camp over the proposed alliance to dislodge the BJP in 2027 has left voters wondering how the three major political players—Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Goa Forward Party (GFP)—vying for the non-BJP space in the minority-dominated taluka, will approach the upcoming polls.
Consider this: The Congress-GFP alliance has hit a roadblock since the regional party suspended talks on taking the alliance forward. In the meantime, the alliance stitched together by GFP with AAP also appears to have hit the rocks, with differences emerging over the inclusion of Congress in the alliance fold.
That’s not all. The grand alliance mooted by GFP as a platform for all non-BJP parties to jointly take on the BJP appears to have remained a non-starter, with the proposal finding no takers in AAP, even as it has been welcomed in the Congress camp.
The confused state of affairs in the opposition camp has thrown up several questions: Will the three parties go it alone in the upcoming polls in a bid to dislodge the BJP government? Will Congress and GFP revive their 2022 alliance and take it forward to the 2027 elections? Or will AAP and GFP jointly contest the polls under the Goa First alliance banner?
Going by the manner in which AAP has escalated its attacks on Congress since the weekend, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party appears unlikely to tie up with the principal opposition party.
The future of the Goa First alliance also appears uncertain—whether AAP and GFP will fight the election together or whether the regional party will return to an alliance with Congress. However, indications from both Congress and GFP suggest that the two parties may be exploring the possibility of reviving their 2022 alliance.
Political observers, therefore, do not foresee a repeat of the 2022 scenario in Salcete, when Congress and GFP were together but had to contend with AAP and the Revolutionary Goans Party, with all four parties seeking a slice of the non-BJP vote in the taluka.
The only significant change this time around is that Congress has tied up with the Revolutionary Goans Party, adding yet another dimension to the evolving political equations in Salcete ahead of the 2027 polls.
