The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP) have announced a pre-poll alliance ahead of the 2027 Goa Assembly elections, naming their new political front ‘Goa First’. The alliance aims to provide voters with an alternative to the BJP and Congress.
AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and GFP leader Vijai Sardesai announced the partnership at a press conference on Sunday. Kejriwal said the two parties would contest the upcoming election together and described the alliance as a “non-BJP, non-Congress” political option for Goa.
Kejriwal Says Goa First Will Offer a New Political Alternative
Speaking about the alliance, Kejriwal argued that voters in Goa have traditionally had limited choices between the BJP and Congress.
He said ‘Goa First’ was created to offer voters a credible alternative and expressed confidence that the new front could form the government on its own strength.
Kejriwal also claimed that the BJP may struggle to secure a majority in the 2027 election, while suggesting that Congress MLAs could once again switch sides and eventually support a BJP-led government.
According to Kejriwal, the new alliance would instead focus on forming a government that puts the interests of Goans first.
AAP-GFP Alliance Takes Shape Ahead of 2027 Polls
The announcement followed Kejriwal’s arrival in Goa on Saturday, when he indicated that he was visiting the state for a “very big announcement.”
In the days leading up to his visit, posters carrying the symbols of both AAP and GFP appeared at several locations across Goa. The campaign messaging targeted both major parties, accusing the BJP and Congress of disappointing voters and urging people not to give them another opportunity.
The development marks an important shift in Goa’s opposition politics as parties begin preparing for the February 2027 Assembly elections.
GFP Had Earlier Been in Talks With Congress
The alliance is particularly significant because the Goa Forward Party had previously been discussing a possible electoral arrangement with Congress.
However, those talks appear to have failed to produce an agreement. GFP’s state executive met on Saturday and reportedly decided to move towards an alliance with like-minded secular political parties to challenge the BJP in the next election.
Senior AAP and GFP leaders have also criticised Congress over what they described as delays in efforts to create a broader opposition front.
The two parties have indicated that the alliance could still accommodate other like-minded political forces in the future. However, they have argued that preparations for the election cannot be postponed until the final months of the campaign.
AAP and GFP Bring Key South Goa Presence
Although neither AAP nor GFP currently has a large presence in the Goa Assembly, both parties have an important geographical footprint.
The Goa Forward Party, led by former deputy chief minister Vijai Sardesai, currently has one MLA. AAP has two MLAs—Venzy Viegas from Benaulim and Cruz Silva from Velim—both representing constituencies in South Goa.
This gives the new alliance an established base in parts of the state as it begins building its campaign for 2027.
What Happened in the 2022 Goa Assembly Election?
The 2027 contest will be closely watched given the political developments that followed the previous Assembly election.
In the 2022 Goa Assembly polls, the BJP emerged as the largest party, winning 20 of the 40 seats in the state Assembly. Congress finished with 11 seats.
However, the Congress tally later fell sharply after eight of its MLAs joined the BJP, leaving the party with only three legislators. This was not the first major Congress defection in Goa, as 10 Congress MLAs had crossed over to the BJP in 2019.
AAP contested the 2022 election independently and secured two seats. GFP, meanwhile, fought the election in alliance with Congress and managed to retain its stronghold of Fatorda, with Vijai Sardesai winning the seat.
‘Goa First’ Sets the Stage for a Three-Way Political Battle
The AAP-GFP partnership could add a new dimension to the political battle in Goa ahead of the 2027 elections.
With the alliance positioning itself as a non-BJP, non-Congress alternative, its ability to attract additional opposition parties and consolidate votes will be closely watched.
For now, AAP and GFP have made their intentions clear: ‘Goa First’ will enter the 2027 Goa Assembly election with the aim of challenging the established political choices and forming a government of its own.