Who Is Vijai Sardesai? Goa Heavyweight Joins Hands With Arvind Kejriwal For 2027 Poll Bloc To Challenge BJP

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Who Is Vijai Sardesai? Goa Heavyweight Joins Hands With Arvind Kejriwal For 2027 Poll Bloc To Challenge BJP

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Last Updated: September 13, 2026, 17:09 IST

By aligning with AAP, Sardesai aims to consolidate non-BJP votes and prevent vote fragmentation across South and North Goa

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Sardesai served as the Agriculture Minister and later as Goa's Deputy Chief Minister in 2019 before pulling out of the BJP-led government. File image/X

Goa politics experienced a significant shift ahead of the 2027 assembly elections as Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) formally joined hands with Vijai Sardesai’s Goa Forward Party (GFP) to launch the Goa First alliance. Positioning the coalition as a formidable alternative aimed at dethroning the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), both leaders expressed a shared goal to break traditional political dynamics in the coastal state.

The Political Profile of Vijai Sardesai

Vijai Sardesai is a veteran politician, real estate businessman, and the founder of the Goa Forward Party. Currently representing the Fatorda constituency as a three-time Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), Sardesai has long been a vocal figure in regional governance.

Early Roots: Sardesai began his career in student politics before serving as the President of the Goa Pradesh Youth Congress. He later parted ways with the Congress to contest and win as an Independent candidate from Fatorda in 2012.

Launch of GFP: In 2016, he spearheaded the creation of the Goa Forward Party, anchoring its ideology on Goemkarponn (Goan identity, culture, and economic interests).

Ministerial Stint: Following the 2017 elections, GFP played kingmaker by extending crucial support to form the BJP-led coalition under former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. Sardesai subsequently served as the Agriculture Minister and later as Goa’s Deputy Chief Minister in 2019 before pulling out of the government.

Context Behind the Alliance with AAP

The strategic alliance between AAP and GFP stems from growing friction among opposition ranks. While Sardesai’s party contested the 2022 assembly elections alongside the Congress, recent efforts to formalise an opposition bloc were stalled by delays and concerns over the grand old party’s history of legislative defections to the BJP.

By aligning with AAP, Sardesai aims to consolidate non-BJP votes and prevent vote fragmentation across South and North Goa. The new partnership promises to focus heavily on local issue-based governance, regional preservation, and administrative accountability.

Looking Ahead to 2027

With the BJP seeking a fourth consecutive term, Sardesai’s regional footprint combined with AAP’s electoral machinery introduces a third-front alternative to Goa’s traditional bi-polar contest. As campaigning builds toward 2027, the success of the Goa First initiative will depend on whether the coalition can convince voters that a regional-national partnership is the key to political stability.

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Quick Answers Powered by Ask News18 What is the Goa First alliance and which political parties are involved in it? The Goa First alliance is a political coalition formed ahead of the 2027 Goa assembly elections. It brings together Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Vijai Sardesai’s Goa Forward Party (GFP). The alliance is positioned as a non-BJP and non-Congress alternative aimed at challenging the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and preventing the fragmentation of non-BJP votes in the coastal state. Who is Vijai Sardesai and what is his political background in Goa? Vijai Sardesai is a veteran politician, real estate businessman, and the founder of the Goa Forward Party (GFP). He is a three-time MLA representing the Fatorda constituency. Sardesai started in student politics, served as President of the Goa Pradesh Youth Congress, and later won as an Independent in 2012. After the 2017 elections, his party played kingmaker for a BJP-led coalition, and he served as Goa's Agriculture Minister and Deputy Chief Minister. Why did the Goa Forward Party choose to ally with AAP instead of the Congress for the 2027 elections? Although the Goa Forward Party (GFP) contested the 2022 elections alongside the Congress, efforts to formalize an opposition bloc for 2027 were stalled. This was due to delays and concerns over the Congress's history of legislative defections to the BJP. By partnering with AAP instead, GFP leader Vijai Sardesai aims to consolidate non-BJP votes, prevent vote fragmentation, and focus on local issue-based governance and regional preservation. Powered by Ask News18

About the Author Pathikrit Sen Gupta Pathikrit Sen Gupta is a Senior Associate Editor with News18.com and likes to cut a long story short. He writes sporadically on Politics, Sports, Global Affairs, Space, Entertainment, And Food. He tra... Read More

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First Published: September 13, 2026, 17:09 IST

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