Goa's anti-BJP coalition faces strain as AAP ally pushes for broader opposition unity

Goa's anti-BJP coalition is showing signs of fracture less than a month after its formation. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP) announced their 'Goa First' alliance on September 13, positioning themselves as a "non-BJP, non-Congress" platform offering an alternative to what they termed "BJP-Congress collusion" in the state. However, tensions have emerged over the alliance's direction and scope.

GFP president Vijai Sardesai has recently called for a "grand alliance" of all parties opposed to the BJP, suggesting potential talks with the Congress. "From Goan voters, I can hear only one call…that a grand alliance is necessary," Sardesai said on Tuesday, emphasizing that people want unity among all genuinely anti-BJP forces. He added that achieving broader unity cannot occur through targeting the principal Opposition party, asserting that "this is what the people feel."

The AAP has responded by seeking clarification from Sardesai on his stance. In a statement, the party's core committee contended that the BJP-Congress "joint venture" had destroyed Goa over the past decade, asking Sardesai to decide whether he stands with this arrangement or with the people of Goa. The developments underscore internal discord within the opposition coalition at a critical moment ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.