Should AAP and Goa Foward form an alliance to defeat national parties in Goa? -- By Nisser Dias

The overwhelming response for the Aam Admi Party (AAP) at their first ever meeting at Campal on 22^nd May has surely sent shivers down the spine of the BJP government in the State.

Sea of people at AAP meeting in Goa on 22nd May

From the very comments of the Goa unit BJP president Vinay Tendulkar that the AAP candidates are going to lose their deposits in all the constituencies in Goa and Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar’s retort that only a few educated Christians will cast their ballot for AAP exposes that they are jittery. CM seems to have lost touch with reality on the ground as even Hindus are disenchanted with BJP because of its anti-people policies. Furthermore Laxmikant Parsekar should concentrate on getting elected himself as he has gifted lakhs of sq.mts. of land at Tiracol in his constituency for golf project and his voters are not at all happy about it.  

CM Laxmikant Parsekar:- Will he
win his own seat ?

Father of U-turns:- Defence Minister M. Parrikar

Parsekar and Tendulkar tend to forget that though AAP had betrayed the faith of the voters in Delhi in just 49 days during their first stint, the same people had forgiven them and voted them back to power with absolutely majority. The comments of these two BJP members can also be construed as an insult to the voters of the Delhi.

It has already been established that BJP is on the downslide since it came to power in 2012. The BJP government with Manohar Parrikar at the helm of affairs of the state as the ex-chief minister Manohar Parrikar did just the opposite of what had been promised in their election manifesto and that is the reason this government is nick-named as the government of U-turns and Parrikar as the father of U-turns. The BJP unit very much knows that they are on a very shaky wicket and may not even able to garner 2-digit figures in the coming Assembly elections and hence are beating their own hollow drums of development.

The BJP is very much aware of the silent voters who after experiencing the rules, rulers and regimes of the MGP, Congress, BJP and its alliances would want to give an opportunity to a new political party.

I'm helpless:-
GPCC Chief Luizinho Faleiro

Just like the Congress, the BJP also has totally exposed itself as no different from the Congress maybe worse. AAP or Goa Forward will provide an alternative to choose from at the 2017 Assembly hustings.

What remains to be seen is the credibility of the candidates AAP and Goa Forward puts up. The captain of the AAP, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal seems to have made it very clear to members in Goa that if individuals have joined the party only to contest elections on AAP ticket then his party  is not the right platform as he is not interested in persons wanting to only contest elections.

Arvind Kejriwal - what I think and say is ultimate

The present scenario in Goa is that the people are fed-up with the BJP and its allies that includes the ‘altar boys’, whereas Congress has nothing new to show not even in new faces and young blood is gasping for breath in a roomful of veterans who have made politics their only source of income. It is doubtful that the grand old party will improve their stake in the Assembly.

It would be prudent that AAP and Goa Forward come together to form an alliance to battle out the election together. Both these parties could provide logistic support to each other against the formidable BJP. I’m saying formidable because the Union government is sure to use its government machinery, financial power not forgetting muscle power especially because they would not want a State ruled by them in the last four years voting against it as it would translate to people rejecting its policies.

But the problem with Arvind Kejriwal and Vijay Sardessai meeting each other halfway is that both individuals are equally dominative. If one observes Delhi Chief Minister’s way of functioning is akin to Defence Minister’s. Both are IITians and both think they are the ultimate rulers and all other are their subjects.

I'll beat all gambles:-
Goa Forward chief Vijay Sardessai

On the other hand Vijay is equally sharp and can be brazen, but more importantly he has endeared himself to the people by being almost the lone opposition voice in the Assembly for the last four years taking on the arrogant might of Manohar Parrikar. At the same time he has broken bread with the government otherwise he would be denied development in his Fatorda constituency.

At the moment it looks unlikely that AAP would want to align with Goa Forward given the fact that Vijay had given a call for all Opposition to come together to defeat the BJP. Till recently Goa Forward was toying with the idea of an alliance with the Congress, which would not be palatable to AAP.

Not forgetting that Arvind Kejriwal also formed his very first government with the support of the Congress in Delhi. In a way both the political outfits are sailing in the same boat.

If somebody can connect or bring together AAP and Goa Forward together to fight the 2017 general elections one could comfortably surmise that the alliance would give the national parties a run for their money and in-turn would reap huge benefits.

Undoubtedly AAP and Goa Forward have filled the vacuum created by the national parties and people of Goa will have an alternative during the 2017 Assembly elections irrespective of them coming together or going it alone.