Outcome may redraw political equations in South Goa; verdict to shape 2027 strategy and alliance calls
Will the Aam Aadmi Party flags flutter high in Salcete on Monday when the ballots are opened or will the Congress checkmate the growing presence of the Arvind Kejriwal-led party in the minority stronghold.
MARGAO
Who will emerge as the political king of Salcete—the Congress or the Aam Aadmi Party—when the Zilla Panchayat ballots are opened for counting on Monday morning?
Beyond the individual candidates in the fray, both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have treated the Zilla Panchayat elections as a virtual semifinal, aimed at testing their respective strengths in this minority-dominated taluka.
The Congress rank and file had largely opposed any truck with the Aam Aadmi Party in the Zilla Panchayat polls, ever since the party’s victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Party workers were keen to assess the Congress’ standalone strength in Salcete without the support of allies.
On the other hand, the Aam Aadmi Party too chose to go solo in the Zilla Panchayat elections in Goa, apparently to test its organisational strength not only in Velim and Benaulim—where the party’s MLAs represent the constituencies—but also in Curtorim, Navelim and Nuvem.
Political observers say the Zilla Panchayat results could significantly reshape Salcete’s political landscape, with just a year to go before the crucial Assembly elections scheduled for early 2027.
Sources say that if the Aam Aadmi Party manages to win a couple of seats in its strongholds of Velim and Benaulim and opens its account in other constituencies, the party is likely to go all out to consolidate its position in Salcete and beyond in the run-up to the 2027 Assembly polls.
Conversely, a strong Congress performance in Salcete—particularly in Velim and Benaulim—could strengthen the growing voices within the party opposing any tie-up with the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP in Goa or other non-BJP parties. A Congress surge in Salcete and South Goa may even prompt the party leadership to rule out the possibility of contesting the 2027 Assembly elections in alliance with other non-BJP parties.
The battle for Salcete holds significance for the Aam Aadmi Party in more ways than one. AAP had opened its electoral account in Goa by winning the 2020 Zilla Panchayat election from Benaulim. Since then, there has been no looking back, as the party went on to win two Assembly seats—Velim and Benaulim—in the 2022 Assembly elections, nearly displacing the Congress’ long-standing supremacy in the minority stronghold.
Against this backdrop, the Zilla Panchayat battle assumes critical importance for both the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party, as the results are expected to set the tone for the 2027 Assembly showdown.
Cong banks on loyal vote base, eyes repeat of 2024 LS result
MARGAO: Ahead of the counting of votes in the Zilla Panchayat elections scheduled for Monday morning, the Congress is hoping for a repeat of its 2024 Lok Sabha performance in its traditional stronghold of Salcete, where as many as nine seats are at stake—this time facing a challenge from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Despite visible deficiencies in the Congress organisational network in some Zilla Panchayat constituencies, party leaders are pinning their hopes on the party’s traditional vote bank to see them through when counting begins on Monday.
Party insiders believe that just as the high voter turnout in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections helped Congress retain the South Goa Lok Sabha seat, loyal voters will once again stand by the party in the Zilla Panchayat polls.
The key difference, however, is that while Salcete voters had voted en bloc for Congress in the Lok Sabha election, party leaders are now hopeful that a majority of voters will extend similar support to Congress candidates contesting the Zilla Panchayat seats.
The Nuvem seat offers a case in point. Former Nuvem MLA Wilfred D’Sa, who has thrown his weight behind AAP candidate Luis Barretto, claimed midway through polling on Saturday that Congress lacked even enough workers to man polling booths—an assertion aimed at highlighting the reported absence of the Congress organisation on the ground.
Congress general secretary Everson Vales, however, begged to differ. “Nuvem is a traditional Congress stronghold. The majority of people here have always supported the party, despite defections by Congress MLAs. In the 2020 ZP polls, Congress defeated Wilfred’s candidate in Nuvem. Even then, his camp had gone around saying the Congress organisation was not visible. But the loyal Congress voters proved them wrong. This time, the situation will be no different. Just wait and watch,” Vales said.
Candidates and Congress leaders are hoping for a similar situation in the rest of the ZP constituencies where the party faced a strong AAP challenge in Velim, Benaulim, Navelim, Colva and Curtorim.
