AAP, Goa Forward Party formalise tie-up, keep ‘door open’ for like-minded forces

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Goa Forward Party have jointly announced their intention to contest the upcoming Goa assembly elections in a new alliance, titled 'Goa First.' The alliance was formally introduced in a press conference attended by AAP's former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai.

Kejriwal emphasized that this alliance is essential as the people of Goa have been deceived twice and do not intend to be deceived a third time. He highlighted that the alliance would provide an alternative to the Congress and BJP, offering a non-BJP, non-Congress option to the voters. Sardesai, on the other hand, stressed that the alliance is made up of parties with similar ideologies, determined to defeat the BJP and protest the possibility of Congress MLAs defecting to the BJP.

Kejriwal defended his claims regarding the loyalty of AAP MLAs, noting that the party's MPs who joined the BJP in 2022 did so to avoid serving a party that had sent them to Rajya Sabha, ultimately betraying their party rather than the voters. He also assured that the AAP will carefully consider its decisions regarding Rajya Sabha members in the future.

Kejriwal further denied the possibility of the alliance splitting the opposition vote, stating that it would attract voters from both the BJP and Congress. The Goa Forward Party, a regional party set up for the 2017 Goa legislative assembly elections, campaigned against the BJP but ended up supporting the BJP in its government formation. The alliance is expected to contest the Goa assembly polls in early 2027.