Congress open to tie-up with like-minded parties for 2027 Goa polls

Panaji, The Congress on Saturday said it is open to allying with any political party willing to fight the ruling BJP in the 2027 Goa assembly elections, provided they have a common programme based on shared ideology.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the Goa Congress's political affairs committee, AICC Goa in-charge Manikrao Thakare said the party has authorised state unit chief Girish Chodankar to hold talks with like-minded parties.

"After consultations with everyone, we are willing to form alliances with any party that wants to fight the BJP, provided there is a common programme based on our shared ideology so that we can contest the elections together," Thakare said.


He said that the committee also discussed the party's election preparedness and decided to expedite organisational strengthening across the state.

Committees would be constituted at the village, block, district and state levels to prepare for the polls, he said.

Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao, who heads the party's election committee, has been entrusted with preparing the election strategy and programmes, Thakare said.

He also attacked the BJP government in Goa, alleging it had failed to work in the interest of the people.

"We want to assure the people of Goa that the Congress stands with them and their concerns. Across Goa, people have said this government is not working in the interest of the public. The government has completely failed," he alleged.

Congress had fought the 2022 assembly election in alliance with the Goa Forward Party and won 11 seats. However, it was later reduced to only three MLAs in the 40-member House, after eight of them switched sides to the BJP soon after the polls.