Amid buzz around Rajdeep's political foray, Vijai Sardesai's GFP joins hands with AAP

New Delhi: A new non-BJP, non-Congress political front has taken shape in Goa, and its arrival is likely to add another layer to the speculation surrounding senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai’s possible entry into electoral politics. AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced an alliance with Vijai Sardesai-led Goa Forward Party (GFP) for the 2027 Assembly polls. Called “Goa First”, the alliance is being projected as an alternative to both the ruling BJP and the Congress. On the face of it, this is straightforward Goa politics. Except that only weeks ago, NewsDrum Informals had reported growing chatter in Goa about Rajdeep Sardesai possibly taking the electoral plunge from the state either through a national political party or as part of a third alternative involving like-minded people. And now Goa has a new third political formulation. Coincidence? Perhaps. But the timing is enough to make Goa's already energetic political rumour mill work overtime. Rajdeep himself was quick to flag Sunday's development. “NEWS BREAK: ‘Goa First’ is a new alliance forged in Goa between Aam Aadmi party and Goa Forward (GFP),” he posted on X, before recounting GFP's shifting alliances over the past decade. “In 2022 Vidhan Sabha, Goa Forward fought in alliance with Congress and AAP fought on its own. In 2024 Lok Sabha, Cong, AAP, GFP fought together. In 2017, Goa Forward joined hands with BJP post election to form a govt,” he wrote. Then came the Rajdeep flourish: “If that sounds complicated, it is: in Goa, there are more bends in politics than there are on the River Mandovi!” On August 20, NewsDrum reported that Rajdeep had been holding meetings with representatives of NGOs and civil society organisations in Goa and that political observers in the state were discussing whether he could eventually enter electoral politics. The report also recalled that he had apparently been in serious talks with a political party ahead of the 2017 Goa election, though those discussions did not fructify. Rajdeep's Goa roots are well known. His father, Dilip Sardesai, the celebrated former India cricketer, hailed from Goa. The August report had specifically recorded speculation around two possibilities: Rajdeep contesting through an established national party or participating in the creation of a third political alternative. The second possibility is what makes Sunday's development worth watching. Kejriwal said AAP and GFP would be equal partners in the new alliance and described it as the alternative for voters dissatisfied with both BJP and Congress. Importantly, the alliance has not necessarily shut the door on further expansion. AAP and GFP leaders have said “like-minded political forces” could be accommodated in the future. That leaves the political architecture of “Goa First” less than completely settled. For now, it brings together AAP, which has two MLAs in Goa, and GFP, whose chief Vijai Sardesai represents Fatorda and is the regional party's lone legislator. The Congress is outside the arrangement despite having fought the 2022 Assembly election in alliance with GFP. AAP had contested that election separately. In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, however, Congress, AAP and GFP were on the same side. The break with Congress has been brewing. GFP and AAP leaders have repeatedly cited the large-scale defection of Congress legislators to the BJP as a reason for questioning whether another Congress-led opposition arrangement can offer Goa a durable alternative. Eight of the 11 Congress MLAs elected in 2022 subsequently joined the BJP. In 2019, 10 Congress MLAs had similarly crossed over. Vijai Sardesai's party had been holding talks with Congress for the 2027 election, but those discussions stalled. Remarkably, Goa Congress president Girish Chodankar was still saying on Saturday that talks with GFP were continuing even as joint AAP-GFP hoardings had begun appearing across Goa. By Sunday, the answer had arrived. And Rajdeep? There is, as of now, no announcement from Rajdeep Sardesai that he is joining politics, contesting the 2027 election or associating himself with “Goa First”.