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Goa Politics: Opposition Alliance Talks Intensify as AAP-GFP Alliance Faces Congress Questions Ahead of 2027 Polls
Haripriya 25 Sept 2026 6 min read 987 views
Panaji: Political activity in Goa is intensifying ahead of the 2027 Assembly election, with opposition parties working on different alliance possibilities while the BJP continues its organisational preparations.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Goa Forward Party (GFP) have already announced their “Goa First” alliance. At the same time, reports of renewed discussions between the GFP and Congress have created uncertainty over the final shape of the opposition's electoral arrangements.
However, GFP president Vijai Sardesai has said that no decision has been taken to change the party's existing alliance with AAP, making clear that reports of a Congress-GFP alliance or merger should not be treated as a completed agreement.
Maharashtra's decision to declare 265 talukas drought-affected has triggered questions from both ruling alliance leaders and the Opposition. While some areas represented by Mahayuti leaders have been excluded, the MVA has questioned the transparency of the assessment process.
The political developments are taking place alongside a continuing controversy over Goa's electoral-roll revision, adding another issue to the state's preparations for the next Assembly election.
AAP and GFP Launch “Goa First” Alliance
AAP national convenor **Arvind Kejriwal and GFP president Vijai Sardesai announced the “Goa First” alliance in September.
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The two parties (opens in a new tab) have positioned the alliance as a political arrangement separate from both the BJP and Congress. They have spoken about issues including corruption, political defections and governance in Goa.
AAP currently has two MLAs in the Goa Assembly, while GFP has one MLA, according to recent reporting.
The alliance has also said that its doors could remain open to other parties and political groups willing to work within its framework.
Congress-GFP Talks Create New Political Questions
The announcement of “Goa First” was followed by reports that GFP and Congress were discussing possible cooperation, including speculation about a possible merger.
According to a September 24 report by Daijiworld, GFP spokesperson Prashant Naik had indicated that something positive could emerge from discussions with Congress. However, Sardesai subsequently said that “as of now, nothing is happening” and asked the media to give greater weight to his statement.
The conflicting signals have created uncertainty around the future of the opposition alliance structure.
Sardesai has previously worked with Congress, including during the 2024 Lok Sabha election, and GFP also had an electoral understanding with Congress during local body elections. The history of cooperation has contributed to speculation about whether the two parties could coordinate again for the Assembly election.
However, there is currently no final announcement of a Congress-GFP alliance or merger.
AAP Says Congress Was Slow to Discuss Opposition Unity
The alliance debate has also exposed differences between AAP and Congress.
Goa AAP president Valmiki Naik has accused Congress of not taking sufficient initiative towards an opposition alliance. He said AAP had waited for Congress to begin discussions but that no meeting had taken place despite efforts by his party.
Naik also said that the newly formed Goa First alliance would remain open to Congress. His remarks indicate that AAP continues to leave room for wider opposition coordination even after forming its alliance with GFP.
Congress, meanwhile, has said that it remains open to cooperation with GFP and other anti-BJP parties.
The situation therefore remains fluid, with different opposition parties exploring possible combinations before finalising their electoral strategies.
History of Congress and GFP Relationship
The present discussions also have a longer political background.
In the 2017 Goa Assembly election, Congress won 17 seats, while the BJP won 13, GFP won three and the NCP won one. Vijai Sardesai subsequently joined the BJP-led government and served as Deputy Chief Minister.
The political history has become relevant to current discussions because any possible Congress-GFP merger would involve questions about leadership, organisational roles and the party's earlier political alignments.
Sardesai has previously sought cooperation with Congress and was part of the INDIA bloc during the 2024 Lok Sabha election. The GFP also worked with Congress in local elections.
These past relationships are one reason the possibility of renewed Congress-GFP coordination continues to receive attention, even though no final merger or alliance has been announced.
BJP Continues Organisational Preparations
While opposition parties debate alliances, the BJP is also strengthening its organisation ahead of the 2027 Assembly election. (opens in a new tab)
The BJP has recently appointed Bharati Pawar as its Goa in-charge and Anil Antony as co-in-charge, according to reports from September 24. The appointments come as the party prepares its organisation for the upcoming electoral contest.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant continues to lead the BJP government in the state.
The ruling party's political activity is taking place alongside opposition campaigns on governance, development and issues concerning Goa's future.
Electoral Roll Revision Remains a Political Issue
The electoral-roll revision process has also become an important issue in Goa politics.
The Indian Express reported that 97 voters who had been found eligible were not included in the final electoral roll published after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The issue prompted questions about the processing of these cases.
On September 25, the Goa Chief Electoral Officer said that many of the 97 cases had subsequently been enrolled, while the remaining cases were being processed separately following house-to-house verification by booth-level officers.
The final electoral roll published after the SIR exercise had recorded a net deletion of about 1.27 lakh voters, according to the Indian Express report.
Opposition parties have raised concerns about the electoral-roll process. Those concerns and political allegations should be distinguished from the Election Commission's administrative explanation regarding the processing of individual cases.
Goa First Changes the Opposition Landscape
The AAP-GFP alliance has added another distinct political combination to Goa's 2027 election (opens in a new tab) preparations.
AAP and GFP are presenting “Goa First” as a non-BJP, non-Congress political front, while Congress continues to discuss cooperation with other opposition parties. Congress has also indicated that it remains open to GFP.
At the same time, reports about possible Congress-GFP discussions have created questions over whether the opposition could eventually see additional coordination.
For now, however, the confirmed arrangement is the AAP-GFP Goa First alliance, while any Congress-GFP alliance or merger remains under discussion and has not been formally announced.
Alliance Talks Become Important Ahead of 2027
The developing political situation means that alliance negotiations are likely to remain an important part of Goa politics in the coming months.
The BJP is preparing its organisation under Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. AAP and GFP have established Goa First, while Congress is seeking broader opposition coordination. Other political groups are also assessing their positions ahead of the election.
The final opposition structure could depend on discussions over alliances, constituencies, candidates and organisational coordination.
The AAP-GFP Goa First alliance is currently the clearest new opposition arrangement, while Congress-GFP discussions remain a subject of political speculation rather than a concluded agreement. Congress has also continued to express interest in broader opposition cooperation.
Meanwhile, the BJP is strengthening its organisational structure and the electoral-roll issue continues to attract political attention.
The coming months are likely to bring further developments on alliance negotiations, candidate selection, electoral rolls, governance, development and campaign strategy as Goa prepares for the 2027 Assembly election.
“Goa's political activity is intensifying ahead of the 2027 Assembly election as AAP and Goa Forward Party continue with their “Goa First” alliance, while reports of Congress-GFP discussions create fresh questions about the opposition's electoral strategy. The BJP is also strengthening its organisation, while the electoral-roll revision issue remains in focus.”
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