The Aam Aadmi Party candidate scored a convincing victory in the Zilla Panchayat by-poll in the Benaulim constituency, a seat that became the fulcrum of political interests in the last few days with focus on AAP, Congress and Independents. The gripping contest had a unique flavour because it was not only a test for the INDIA bloc, but also an election where leaders were seeking recognition and identity. The AAP were tested in their territory, the breakaway Congress leaders were at the test, and the Alemaos were fighting another battle.
AAP's confidence would get a boost through this win, one which will propel them into looking at areas like Curtorim and Navelim which are not in the grip of their ally Congress. The sizeable win by a 3,049 margin suggests that the alliance formula has worked, and if Benaulim could be seen as a testing ground, the arrangement, at least on the face of it, looks to be the way forward for the 2027 Assembly elections. AAP has exuded confidence in the Alliance, and the Congress could be possibly looking in that direction.
However, the bigger questions are whether all the alliance partners can stick together given the diverse and uneven nature of the political pitch, and whether parties would be in a position to make those compromises in areas where they have a sizeable presence or strength. An interesting point here would be the status of ground workers post-alliance.
For example, AAP may be eyeing Navelim and Curtorim. Currently, these constituencies are not with the Congress any more, but both areas have a major party vote bank. In the eventuality of an alliance, can the grand old party concede these areas and shelve plans of a revival? What happens to the second rung of leadership that is keeping the party flag fluttering in these constituencies?
The alliance arrangement may sound good on paper, but the intricacies could prove to be a major headache for the Congress given the reach it has even after elected representatives switched sides to the BJP. In this context, the Congress would be shooting itself in the foot if it concedes seats in its stronghold of Salcete at a time when it is losing its grip on its traditional bastion. Let’s not discount the fact that the party won the South Goa Lok Sabha seat primarily because of the 60,000-plus lead it got in that taluka.
For both AAP and Congress, the BJP may be the common enemy on the political turf, and Capt Viriato’s late video that surfaced in Benualim backing the alliance nominee to keep the BJP forces at bay is testimony of the fact that parties would seek to polarise the anti-BJP voters. But, the common enemy plank would be tough to hold on to if there are splits within.
Royla Fernandes, an ardent Congress leader who quit the party to contest as an Independent is an example of how party leaders may not play ball to coalition politics. Moreover, Royla's fears that AAP may eventually consume Congress in Salcete should the alliance politics continue, amplifies the inherent risks of coalition politics. The Congress may be celebrating the Benaulim win, but the party has a bumpy road leading to the 2027 elections. It remains to be seen how long this camaraderie lasts between allies.
