Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The emergence of a proposed political outfit named the Goa Congress Party has sparked intense political speculation in Goa, with the organisation applying to the Election Commission of India (ECI) for registration just months before the State heads into the 2027 Assembly elections.
The application has been submitted under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. As part of the statutory registration process, the proposed party has issued a public notice inviting objections, if any, to be submitted to the Secretary (Political Party), Election Commission of India, within 30 days.
According to the notice, the party’s registered office is located at Velsao in Mormugao taluka. Francisco Gouveia has been named as president, Vaman Gaonkar as vice-president, Rohidas Gadekar as general secretary and Bruno Pereira as treasurer.
The development has intensified political debate after Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) President Girish Chodankar recently alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was planning to float a new “secular” political outfit to divide Opposition votes before the Assembly elections. Chodankar had claimed that nearly ₹100 crore had been earmarked for the exercise.
Reacting to the registration notice, Chodankar said the move was “no surprise” and reiterated that the BJP was attempting to weaken the Opposition because it lacked confidence in seeking votes based on its governance record. He alleged that as the Congress was gaining public support across the State, efforts were being made to fragment the secular vote through the creation of another political platform.
Congress leader Amarnath Panjikar also targeted the BJP over the issue. In a social media post, he alleged that the newly floated political outfit was linked to the alleged ₹100-crore controversy, posting the message: “100 Cr – Same Game. Same Intention,” while claiming that the public could draw its own conclusions.
Adding to the political uncertainty are reports of growing internal differences within the Goa Congress. Sources indicate that some leaders are considering launching a parallel political platform, raising concerns of a possible split within the party ahead of the elections.
Against this backdrop, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary K.C. Venugopal is expected to visit Goa on Saturday in an effort to assess the situation and address the reported organisational issues before the election campaign gathers momentum.
The emergence of new political parties in the run-up to Assembly elections is not new to Goa. Over the past three decades, several regional and national outfits have entered the electoral arena shortly before polls, often influencing vote shares and, in some cases, winning seats. Parties such as the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Goa Vikas Party (GVP), Save Goa Front, United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) and Goa Rajiv Congress Party (GRCP) have all played varying roles in previous election cycles.
With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, political observers believe the entry of another party into the fray could further reshape the electoral landscape, particularly if it succeeds in attracting sections of the Opposition’s traditional support base.
