Arvind Kejriwal, the National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), announced on Saturday that his party would not be forming a coalition with the Congress in Goa. Kejriwal accused the Congress of deceiving the residents of the state. In a press conference, he alleged that the Congress had been involved in selling its MLAs to the BJP.
Kejriwal stated that an alliance with the Congress was entirely off the table. He emphasized that the Congress had significantly let down the people of Goa. He pointed out that 13 Congress MLAs had joined the BJP between 2017 and 2019, followed by an additional 10 in 2022. He then inquired whether the Congress could guarantee that no newly elected Congress MLAs would join the BJP after the election.
Kejriwal accused the Congress of selling its MLAs to the BJP. Criticizing both the Congress and BJP, the AAP leader characterized the Congress-BJP relationship as ‘rotten’ and declared that his party would neither support nor assist the BJP in forming a government in Goa.
Kejriwal stressed the necessity of a fresh approach where the people of Goa could govern their resources and have a say in their future. He asserted that the AAP would not support the BJP in forming a government and that no alliance with the Congress was possible. He described the Congress-BJP political climate as flawed and advocated for a new system where the people of Goa could control their resources.
Kejriwal is on a three-day visit to Goa, which began on October 3rd. Atishi, AAP’s Goa in-charge and former Delhi Chief Minister, is also present. Previously, on Friday, Kejriwal stated that Goa was suffering due to 13 years of corruption and alleged criminal activities under the BJP-Congress coalition government.
Over the past 13 years, Goa has dealt with illegal construction, illegal mining, rampant corruption, violence, state-sponsored lawlessness, a decline in law and order, high crime rates, pothole-ridden roads, crimes against women, frequent power outages, widespread unemployment, a decrease in tourism, and threats to Goan culture. The upcoming Goa Assembly elections are scheduled for February 2027.