As the political landscape of Goa evolves rapidly in anticipation of the 2027 Assembly elections, one thing has become disturbingly clear, while the ruling BJP is already in campaign mode, the Congress party appears to be in a deep political slumber.
Barring the occasional tweet and half-hearted press note, the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) and its leadership seem content operating in a vacuum, far removed from the realities on the ground.
One cannot help but ask: can tweets and press releases alone win elections in Goa?
The short and honest answer is Big No.
In a state known for its politically aware electorate, direct connect with the people is non-negotiable. The BJP, with its organizational discipline and relentless groundwork, has managed to create a machinery that functions 365 days a year.
Booth-level planning, youth engagement, digital outreach, and strategic alliances have been their strengths. Congress, on the other hand, is surviving more by default than by design.
There is growing discontent even among die-hard Congress supporters. The perception is that the party leadership, especially the GPCC President and the Leader of the Opposition, are not only passive but may even be working in tacit coordination with the ruling dispensation.
This is a grave allegation, and if not countered with demonstrable action, it will fester into widespread disillusionment.
The Congress party is still alive in Goa not because of its leaders, but because of its legacy and the resilience of its support base. It is the people, the voters in the villages, the traditional Congress families, and the disgruntled but hopeful youth, who have kept the flame burning.
The leaders, on the other hand, seem to be carrying the party’s coffin around, preparing to bury it at the first opportunity.
The mass desertions in 2019 and 2022 should have been wake-up calls. Ten MLAs defected in 2019. Eight more followed in 2022. These were not ordinary party workers, these were elected representatives, handpicked and fielded by the party.
If over half your MLAs abandon you within months of an election, it indicates a structural and moral failure at the very top.
Yet no serious introspection has taken place. No major organizational overhaul. No ideological push. No aggressive campaign to expose the government’s failures on jobs, health, infrastructure, and environment.
Instead, we are served generic tweets and occasional press statements that are promptly ignored both by the media and the people.
An effective opposition requires more than criticism—it needs conviction, consistency, and courage. Congress needs to be on the ground, among the people, not just online. Where are the padyatras? Where are the public hearings, the grassroots campaigns, the training camps for booth workers, and the media strategy meetings? Where is the war room for 2027?
The BJP isn’t unbeatable in Goa. Despite all its resources and central support, cracks are visible, be it in local governance, rising unemployment, or corruption allegations.
But unless Congress gets its act together and positions itself as a credible alternative, these cracks will be quickly plastered over by default.
There is still time, but not much. The year 2027 is not far away.
Political credibility takes time to rebuild. Cadre motivation needs sustained effort. Alliances must be explored and negotiated. Candidates need to be groomed.
And most importantly, the people of Goa need to be convinced that Congress is not just a name on the ballot, but a force that will fight for them.
If the current leadership is unable, or unwilling, to shoulder this responsibility, the party’s high command must act decisively.
Goa deserves a vibrant opposition. And Congress must decide whether it wants to play that role or simply vanish into irrelevance.
Because elections are not won with hashtags.
They are won in the streets, in the markets, in the hearts of the people.
And right now, Congress isn’t even in the frame.
