AAP had accused party of betraying people’s mandate via defections
Congress workers along with GPCC Chief Amit Patkar and Congress district president Savio D’Silva celebrating Congress win in Benaulim and the defeat of the Aam Aadmi Party candidate.
MARGAO
March 10, 2025: Aam Aadmi Party’s Goa desk in-charge, Atishi Marlena, inaugurated the party’s South Goa office as part of its expansion drive, emphatically declaring that AAP would contest upcoming elections on its own. The party made it clear that it would go solo in the 2025 Zilla Panchayat elections, the 2026 municipal polls, and the 2027 Goa Assembly elections.
The reasoning was straightforward. AAP ruled out any alliance with the Congress, arguing that the principal Opposition party had lost public trust due to a series of defections to the BJP since the 2017 Assembly elections.
December 22, 2025: In the aftermath of the Zilla Panchayat elections, however, the Arvind Kejriwal-led party now faces an uncomfortable question: why did voters in Salcete repose their faith in the Congress—the very party AAP accused of repeatedly betraying the people’s mandate through defections?
Did the AAP leadership fail to effectively communicate its core promise to the electorate—that the party would remain loyal to the trust placed in it and would not indulge in political betrayal? Or did AAP’s decision to go solo come at a time when public sentiment in Goa leaned strongly towards Opposition unity to defeat the BJP in 2027? In doing so, did the party inadvertently hand its rivals the ammunition to brand AAP as a “villain,” particularly in minority-dominated constituencies like Salcete? Or, whether party’s sustained election campaign was finally grounded on the Congress counter campaign that AAP is out to split the opposition vote to benefit the BJP?
As the party leadership enters a phase of introspection following the Zilla Panchayat setback, AAP leaders and workers must confront these uncomfortable questions. What exactly went wrong for a party that appeared to be the most organised on the ground—especially in Salcete, where it was backed by a committed and energetic cadre of volunteers?
AAP’s development model
in focus after ZP results
No other political party has showcased its development narrative in Goa as prominently as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), particularly in the Salcete countryside. The party focused its outreach on constituencies such as Benaulim and Velim, where it had secured victories in the 2022 Assembly elections. Central to this outreach was an emphasis on public health, with the introduction of health clinics modelled on Delhi’s well-known Mohalla Clinics.
However, following the 2025 Zilla Panchayat (ZP) poll results, the AAP may have to undertake serious introspection regarding public perception of its development model. The decisive mandate in favour of the Congress in both Velim and Benaulim, with AAP losing both the seats, has raised questions about whether the AAP’s developmental initiatives were able to effectively reach the grassroots. Party leaders have acknowledged the need for review, noting that as an opposition party, their primary focus had been on health initiatives, including the opening of clinics in both constituencies. An internal assessment, they say, will follow the ZP results.
Road ahead for AAP
in the upcoming polls
The post-ZP scenario places the Aam Aadmi Party under sharp focus as it seeks to recover from the electoral setback and chart a way forward. The challenge ahead will be how the party absorbs the setback and prepares itself for the civic polls scheduled in early 2026.
It is worth noting that the AAP has so far built a stronger presence in Goa’s rural areas than in urban centres. This could prove to be a significant factor, as municipal elections—largely urban-centric—are expected to be held around March–April next year. How the party adapts its strategy to this changing electoral landscape will be crucial to its prospects going forward.
