Winter session sets tone for 2027 polls

PANAJI
The five-day winter session of the Goa Legislative Assembly concluded on Friday with sharp exchanges, symbolic protests, and a clear preview of the political battle lines that will dominate the run-up to the 2027 elections.

The ruling BJP-led coalition sought to project stability and development, while the Opposition benches pressed hard on governance lapses, law and order, and contentious projects such as the proposed Unity Mall at Chimbel.

Session dominated by confrontation

The session opened with Governor Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju’s maiden address, but Opposition MLAs disrupted proceedings, demanding accountability for the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub fire in Arpora, which claimed 25 lives in early December.

Legislators submitted 731 questions – 178 starred and 553 unstarred – underscoring the Opposition’s efforts and determination to grill the government on safety, finances, governance and planning.

Treasury benches: Defensive but resilient

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and his ministers faced sustained criticism over the nightclub tragedy and several other broader governance issues.

Sawant promised stricter oversight of nightlife establishments and improved disaster preparedness, while also highlighting infrastructure projects, digital governance initiatives, and fiscal discipline.

Yet, the treasury benches often appeared reactive, defending themselves against Opposition attacks rather than setting the agenda.

Opposition voices: vocal, varied

Though outnumbered, the Opposition benches ensured their voices carried weight through pointed and often provocative interventions. Leader of the Opposition, Yuri Alemao (Congress) accused the government of “criminal negligence” in the Arpora nightclub fire.

He demanded ministerial accountability, arguing that ministers and not merely the officials were complicit in the lax enforcement of safety norms that had cost lives. Alemao pressed the treasury benches to accept responsibility rather than deflect blame, framing the tragedy as a governance failure.

Venzy Viegas of AAP went beyond unemployment and corruption charges. In a sharp exchange, he questioned the nationalistic role of the RSS during the special debate on the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ completing 150 years.

He asked the treasury benches to name four leaders of the Hindutva organisation who ever recited the national song and suggested that the debate was an effort of the government to divert attention from pressing governance priorities and issues of Goa.

The remark riled the Chief Minister, who reacted strongly, and accused Viegas of lacking knowledge of the history of the RSS. The clash underscored how ideological differences seeped into Assembly proceedings, adding a sharper edge to routine legislative sparring.

Vijai Sardesai (GFP) zeroed in on planning lapses and land conversions saying it was emblematic of a government that prioritises commercial interests over community concerns. He invoked Justice Ferdino Rebello’s 10-point charter to argue that civil society was demanding a halt to reckless conversions.

Viresh Borkar (RGP) was forceful in his defence of the Chimbel villagers protesting the Unity Mall project. He framed the project as a cultural threat, warning that Goa’s ethos was being undermined by policies that ignored local voices. He tied grassroots agitation directly to Assembly debates, amplifying the sense that the government was out of touch with community sentiments.

These interventions and those of the other three members on the side of the nayes – Carlos Alvares Ferreira and Altone D’Costa (Congress), and Cruz Silva (AAP) – gave the Opposition moral leverage despite their small numbers.

The Chief Minister’s sharp rebuttal to Viegas revealed how sensitive the ruling side is to ideological criticism, while the recurring references to land and cultural preservation showed how grassroots movements are shaping legislative discourse.

Significantly, the seven-member Opposition successfully displayed more cohesion despite their political and ideological differences which had been sharpened by the hustle of the recent Zilla Panchayat elections held less than four weeks ago.

Shadow of Unity Mall stir 

The agitation by villagers in Chimbel against the proposed Unity Mall project cast a long shadow over the proceedings. Protesters have argued that the mall threatens local livelihoods and the ecological balance of the area.

Opposition members echoed these concerns in the House, accusing the government of ignoring grassroots voices in favour of commercial interests. The issue became emblematic of the broader tension between development and community rights, with the treasury benches insisting that the project would boost tourism and local commerce.

The debate highlighted how local agitations are increasingly shaping legislative discourse, forcing the government to defend its development agenda against charges of insensitivity and overreach.

Justice Rebello’s ‘charter’

The session also felt the impact of former Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Ferdino Rebello’s campaign – a movement against large-scale land conversions – and the 10-point charter he has handed the government with a demand for immediate implementation.

His call has seemingly struck a chord with civil society groups worried about Goa’s fragile ecology and vanishing farmland.

Opposition leaders seized on the charter inside the House. 

Sardesai warned that Goa was being “sold piece by piece” while Alemao urged the government to adopt stricter planning laws.

Others like Viegas and Borkar linked Rebello’s demands to the Unity Mall row, arguing that unchecked projects were eroding public trust.

The treasury benches defended their record, insisting conversions followed legal procedures. Yet Rebello’s intervention gave the Opposition moral weight and his ‘movement’ has reminded legislators that beyond politics, the fight is about protecting Goa’s land, identity, and future.

Road to 2027

With the Assembly entering its final year, this session also revealed the contours of the coming electoral battle: The treasury benches it appears, will approach the elections with a narrative of continuity, development, and stability, while the Opposition will seek to capitalise on governance lapses, grassroots agitations, and general public discontent.

The nightclub fire and the Unity Mall controversy have already become political flashpoints. If the Opposition can sustain pressure on such issues while articulating a credible alternative, it may narrow the gap with the ruling coalition.

For now, however, the BJP-led government retains the upper hand, buoyed by numbers and incumbency.

In sum, the winter session was less about legislative breakthroughs and more about political positioning. The ruling benches survived turbulence, while the Opposition has somewhat ensured that the government’s vulnerabilities were amplified.

As Goa heads toward the 2027 polls in a little over a year, the echoes of this session will likely resonate in the months to come.