PANAJI
Goa’s Opposition space is in churn, with two of its key players -- the Congress and the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) -- rocked by internal dissent, leadership changes, resignations and factional exits.
These developments have not only derailed the inherently fragile process of Opposition unity but have also raised questions about whether the anti-BJP front can credibly challenge the ruling party’s formidable electoral muscle and machinery in the run-up to the 2027 Assembly elections, despite the cacophony of protests and a discernible degree of dissatisfaction among the general public.
A familiar crisis of confidence?
The Congress, still the largest Opposition party in Goa, has once again found itself battling its own demons.
The central leadership’s decision last week to replace its State president, Amit Patkar, with Girish Chodankar has triggered discontent among cadres and leaders who saw Patkar as a stabilising presence.
Patkar’s removal was abrupt, and insiders say it reflected Delhi’s impatience with the party’s sluggish revival in Goa.
But the move has opened fissures, and several leaders, office-bearers and block presidents have privately questioned the wisdom of reinstating Chodankar, who had earlier stepped down after the party’s poor showing in 2022.
The dissent within the party, apart from being driven by the clash of personalities between the two involved -- Patkar and Chodankar -- is also about trust in the decisions of the Congress 'High Command'.
Many of those who have voiced displeasure over the decision in the last few days, including South Goa MP Viriato Fernandes, have questioned the 'imposition' of the leadership change without any consultation at the grassroots, a pattern that has historically weakened the party in Goa over the decades.
Mounting dissent
Chodankar’s return has been accompanied by his bold proclamation: the Congress will achieve the “magic figure of 21” seats in 2027 “hook or by crook.” While the rhetoric may be aimed at galvanising the rank and file, sceptics within the party argue that such claims ring hollow unless they are backed by organisational discipline and credible alliances.
The Chodankar-led Congress also faces a paradox. It remains the Opposition’s largest political entity but is internally and organisationally fragile, and still has to deal with factions pulling in different directions.
The magic figure of 21
Central to Chodankar’s narrative is the magic figure of 21 -- the majority mark in the 40-member Goa Assembly. His insistence that the Congress will achieve this number “hook or by crook” has become both a rallying cry and a lightning rod.
His supporters tout it as a display of political instinct and confidence, qualities they claim were lacking in Patkar. His critics, however, dismiss it as mere bravado, disconnected from the ground realities.
Nonetheless, achieving 21 seats would require not only retaining the party’s traditional base but also winning back defectors, forging alliances and countering the BJP’s formidable campaign machinery.
Over the past two decades, the Congress has never achieved that kind of performance. In fact, in 2012 and 2022, it struggled to cross double digits. So, to leap to 21 would require a political earthquake -- one that seems unlikely given the current state of affairs.
Chodankar’s rhetoric, therefore, risks becoming an empty slogan unless it is backed by organisational reform, deft moves to strike alliances and an unseen ability to unleash a united campaign that could match the ruling BJP's election machine.
A past dotted with rifts
The current turmoil in the Congress is not new. The party has a long history of internecine battles from the time it emerged as a major political force in Goa over four decades ago.
From the leadership tussles between Luizinho Faleiro and Digambar Kamat in 2017 to the mass defections of 2019 and 2022, when ten and eight MLAs respectively crossed over to the BJP, the party has repeatedly been hit and weakened by its inability to manage dissent and internal differences.
Even earlier, in the 1990s and 2000s, the Congress was notorious for factionalism, with governments collapsing under the weight of internal rivalries.
Whenever the party has appeared poised to consolidate, internal rifts have handed the advantage to the rival BJP.
The present crisis fits into this historical arc, buttressing the clichéd perception that the Congress struggles more against itself than against the BJP.
RG: Mutiny at the top
If the Congress is battling old ghosts, the nascent RGP is facing an existential challenge. The party, which burst onto the scene in 2022 with a strong nativist plank, has now lost its charismatic president, Manoj Parab, following an internal mutiny.
Parab’s exit is significant, as he was the face of the RGP’s aggressive campaign against “outsider domination” and had built a loyal base among young voters. But insiders say his leadership style alienated a section loyal to its lone legislator, Viresh Borkar, leading to the revolt that culminated in his resignation.
The RGP now faces the daunting task of reinventing itself without its most recognisable leader.
Oppn unity: A dream deferred
The Congress and RGP crises have come at a time when talks were underway to forge a united Opposition front. Alongside Vijai Sardesai’s Goa Forward Party (GFP), the idea was to pool resources and present a credible alternative to the BJP.
But forging alliances and displaying Opposition unity require stability, which has for now been badly hit by Congress leaders bickering and the RGP being rudderless. The project has, in effect, stalled.
The other significant player in the Opposition space -- Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) -- which is trying to expand its footprint in Goa, meanwhile, is watching cautiously and has reluctantly sung the tune of Opposition unity.
BJP’s advantage
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP remains politically muscular. With a disciplined cadre, strong financial resources and the advantage of incumbency, the ruling party is preparing for 2027 from a position of strength. The Opposition’s disarray has further strengthened its hand.
The BJP has historically benefited from Congress defections and Opposition fragmentation. If the current churn continues, the ruling party could enter the next election race from a strong pole position and even turn the contest into a one-sided affair.
The Opposition’s path to 2027 is uphill and fraught with challenges.
First, the Congress must heal its internal wounds and present a united face with Chodankar at the helm.
Additionally, the RGP must rebuild after Parab’s exit and prove it can survive beyond personality politics, while AAP and GFP must decide whether to persist with alliance talks or chart independent courses.
At present, the answer to whether the Opposition can achieve the unity and organisational muscle needed to take on the ruling BJP and its allies remains a distant dream.
