MOHAMMAD ZIYAUDDIN
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The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has announced that it will contest the 2027 assembly elections in Goa and Gujarat alone, ruling out an alliance with the Congress. Senior AAP leader Atishi made the statement on Monday while visiting Margao, Goa, to inaugurate the party’s new office.
"There are no talks of an alliance," Atishi told reporters, as per PTI.
AAP’s Stand on Goa Politics
Atishi highlighted the political shifts in Goa since the 2022 assembly elections, where:
BJP retained power, securing a majority.
Congress initially won 11 seats, but 8 MLAs later defected to BJP.
Congress is now left with just 3 MLAs, while AAP has 2 legislators in the state assembly.
Despite rumors that AAP MLAs would defect, she emphasized that both lawmakers remain loyal to the party.
"When our two MLAs won in 2022, many speculated they wouldn’t last two months. But they are still with us because they didn’t enter politics to make money," she stated.
BJP Tried to Poach AAP MLAs, Says Atishi
Atishi accused the BJP of attempting to lure AAP legislators but claimed that her party remains steadfast in its commitment to clean politics.
"We are not interested in politics where winning elections and making money is the sole aim. Our interest in politics is to deliver for the people," she asserted.
She also questioned the Congress’ credibility as a like-minded ally, pointing out that eight of its eleven MLAs defected to BJP.
"When most of their MLAs join BJP, what is like-minded? AAP’s two MLAs remain committed to the party despite BJP’s attempts to lure them," Atishi added.
Congress Calls Alliance Talks Premature
Responding to AAP’s announcement, Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Amit Patkar dismissed discussions on alliances as "premature."
"The elections are two years away. Right now, the focus of all parties is to strengthen their base in each constituency," Patkar said.
He emphasized that the Congress is working across all 40 constituencies to expand its presence ahead of the 2027 elections.
What’s Next for AAP in Goa & Gujarat?
AAP will contest independently in Goa & Gujarat in 2027.
No alliance talks with Congress at this stage.
AAP aims to strengthen its base in both states amid defections in opposition ranks.
With AAP positioning itself as a strong alternative and Congress attempting to rebuild, Goa’s 2027 elections could see a multi-cornered contest against the ruling BJP.
