Vijai’s plan aims to capture Margao Municipal Council in 2026, challenge Kamat in 2027 Assembly polls; Party to face formidable BJP team led by Digambar and Damu in civic polls, besides Cong
MARGAO
Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai’s plan to make an entry into Margao in the immediate future seemed driven by two fold-objectives, one, to take control of the Margao Municipal Council in the 2026 civic polls and set the stage for a head on battle with Congress-turned-BJP’s seven-time Margao MLA Digambar Kamat in the 2027 Assembly polls.
That Sardesai took the platform of his 55th birthday celebrations to unveil his plan for Margao indicates his intent to make forays in his neighbourhood in a bid to dislodge the BJP from the Margao civic body as well as from Margao Assembly constituency.
None other than Sardesai, however, knows for sure that the Goa Forward cannot even dream of forming the Council in 2026 without making a formal entry in Margao. For, he knows that Goa Forward’s performance in the Fatorda Municipal area alone cannot pave the way for controlling the civic body. In fact, the regional party cannot hope to rule the Margao civic body without winning a couple of seats from the Margao Municipal area coming under Margao constituency.
That’s not all. He also knows for sure that the BJP is expected to go to the Municipal polls for the Margao civic body this time on a strong footing. For, unlike the Goa Forward party, the BJP has its presence spread across Margao and Fatorda, a ground reality further strengthened by Digambar Kamat’s return to the BJP fold and the elevation of former Fatorda MLA Damu Naik as the BJP State president.
Even assuming that Goa Forward makes a clean sweep of the 11 Municipal seats spread across the Fatorda area, the arithmetic does not give any advantage for the regional party in the civic body. For, in the number game, Sardesai will still fall short of 3-4 seats to reach the magic figure of 13 to form the Council in the 25-member civic body.
Against this backdrop, the Goa Forward chief’s announcement appears a calculated move aimed at making the party’s presence felt in Margao in a bid to pocket a couple of seats from Digambar Kamat’s home turf, in the number game to control the civic body.
Sardesai, however, has a task at hand as he will have to face the ruling dispensation, having a strong presence in the Margao Municipal area. That’s not all. Sardesai and his outfit will have to contend with Digambar Kamat in Margao and BJP State president Damu Naik in Fatorda, both of whom are expected to go all out to ensure the party flag flies high again atop the Margao Municipal Council in 2026.
Vijai’s municipal move signals bid for Assembly turf in 2027
By making an entry into the Margao Municipal area to control the Margao Municipal Council in the 2026 civic polls, the Goa Forward chief must have set his eyes on Margao constituency in the 2027 Assembly polls.
The reason is simple. Political observers say the Goa Forward chief will not simply invest his time and resources in the civic polls if he does not intend to reap electoral dividends in the 2026 Municipal polls as well as the 2027 Assembly election. “No politician will invest time and resources without an agenda to reap electoral dividends. The Municipal polls give an opportunity for the Goa Forward chief to test the political waters in Margao. Even winning a couple of seats from Margao may set the tone for the 2027 battle of ballots against the seasoned and astute Digambar Kamat,” remarked a political observer.
Goa Forward’s municipal poll strategy may face Congress challenge
Goa Forward plan to enter Margao may bring the regional party face-to-face with the Congress party, which seemed to have set its eyes on Margao in the 2027 Assembly polls. With former Margao Municipal Chairperson Savio Coutinho holding the fort for the Congress in Margao coupled with the recent induction of city young businessman, Chirag Naik in the party, the Congress leadership must have a plan up its sleeve in Margao.
Take note, when the Congress leadership inducted Chirag in the party a month ago, he was categorical in saying the party will go all out in the 2026 polls for the Margao civic body.
Questions are raised in political circles how the Goa Forward will factor the Congress’ presence in Margao, more so post-2024 Lok Sabha polls when the party made a stunning comeback against the backdrop of Digambar Kamat’s defection to the BJP, upsetting the ruling party’s poll calculations.
In the event the Goa Forward and Congress decides to go alone in the civic polls in Margao, the regional outfit may have to grapple with candidates fielded by the Congress in all the 11 Municipal wards in Sardesai’s home turf Fatorda. “It’s too early to say how the Congress and Goa Forward will go about the civic polls in 2026. The Goa Forward chief has only a day ago unveiled his plan to enter Margao. We will have to wait and see whether the two parties will accommodate each other’s interests or go all out in the battle for supremacy, which is a remote possibility considering that the voters’ prevailing sentiment is clearly in favour of unity of non-BJP parties,” remarked a political observer.
