Of the 13 governments formed in Goa since 1963, seven are coalition governments. In 2017, it was more power grabbing than forming a defensive coalition. The BJP, which won only 13 of the 40 assembly seats, forged an alliance with the two main regional parties, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the Goa Forward Party (GFP), and formed the government under Manohar’s leadership. Independent Parrikar overtook Congress to emerge as the single largest party with 17 seats. As the state prepares for the next assembly elections, the Congress is left with only two MLAs. Most others have joined the BJP, leaving its original allies, the MGP and GFP, on the way. This time MGP has tied up with Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) Vijay Sardesai-led GFP is in alliance with Congress, Presently MGP has one MLA in the assembly and GFP two MLAs. 2022 assembly elections With the entry of the TMC, and vigorous campaigning by Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), it is looking to improve upon its dismal performance in the 2017 Goa Assembly election, when the party failed to win a single seat. An alliance of NCP and Shiv Sena is also in the fray.
Despite being the largest party numerically, the Pramod Sawant-led BJP is beset by anti-incumbency: several ministers in the government have been tainted by scandals, while the state faces challenges of unemployment and economic slowdown. Epidemic. The BJP’s apparent strategy to unite Hindus, over 60% of the total population, resulted in the ouster of three Catholic legislators, including cabinet minister Michael Lobo. This may indicate a reversal of Parrikar’s approach to reaching out to Catholics. It may be no coincidence that the BJP is also sidelining his loyalists, even angry with the Saraswat community to which he belonged. The BJP is facing resentment among the old-timers, who were neglected in favor of defectors from other parties. AAP’s strategy includes bountiful welfare promises and community appeals. its CM candidate belongs to Bhandari community The largest electoral block in Goa, comprising over 30% of the population. The Congress is playing it low-key, hoping to ride the anti-incumbency wave, and relying on its deep connect with the electorate to come back to power. Like the BJP, it is projecting TMC and AAP as outside parties that have no roots in the state. The politics of Goa is going through a phase of churning in the last five years. Assembly elections are an occasion for renewal and new beginnings.
,