The political rift between Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress appears to be widening, with AAP’s Goa unit backing party chiefArvind Kejriwal’s categorical declaration in Ahmedabad that the alliance with the Congress is over. This has drawn guarded responses from Congress leadership in the State, exposing the fragility of Opposition unity post-Lok Sabha elections.
Speaking in Ahmedabad on Thursday, Kejriwal said the INDIA Bloc – the Opposition front formed to take on the BJP – was “only for the Lok Sabha elections” and that AAP has no alliance with the Congress going forward. He accused the Congress of tacitly helping the BJP during the recent Visavadar bypoll in Gujarat, where the Congress finished third.
“If there was any alliance, why did they contest the bypoll in Visavadar? They were sent by the BJP to cut AAP’s votes. The Congress has failed as an opposition and is indirectly aiding the BJP,” Kejriwal charged, while launching his party’s ‘Gujarat Jodo Abhiyan’ ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.
Reacting to the remarks, AAP Goa State President Adv Amit Palekar fully endorsed Kejriwal’s statement, asserting that Congress treats alliances as tools of convenience.
“What Kejriwal is saying is right. Congress refused to ally with AAP in the Haryana Assembly elections. Even here in Goa, after the Lok Sabha results, Congress leaders started distancing themselves. When it suited them, they spoke of unity. Now, they talk about going solo,” Palekar said.
Palekar also confirmed that AAP is preparing to contest the 2027 Goa Assembly elections independently, adding that the party has already started strengthening its grassroots network in the state.
“It’s too early to talk about alliances in Goa, but we are moving forward on our own strength,” he added.
In contrast, the Congress struck a more measured tone. Manikrao Thakare, AICC General Secretary in charge of Goa, dismissed Kejriwal’s comments as “their issue”, insisting that Congress continues to support Opposition unity in principle.
“Arvind Kejriwal is AAP’s national convener and it is their internal matter. As far as Congress is concerned, the INDIA Bloc was formed for the Lok Sabha elections and the High Command will decide policy and alliance matters going forward,” Thakare told O Heraldo.
He reiterated that the Congress wants all like-minded parties to come together to avoid splitting anti-BJP votes, even as the future of such cooperation remains uncertain.
The latest round of tensions stems from the Visavadar bypoll in Gujarat, where AAP candidate Gopal Italia defeated the BJP’s Kirit Patel by over 17,000 votes. The Congress came in a distant third, fueling Kejriwal’s allegations of collusion and irrelevance.
Kejriwal used the bypoll victory to sharpen his attack on both the BJP and Congress, promising a sustained grassroots campaign leading up to the Gujarat Assembly polls in 2027.
“The BJP has ruined Gujarat during its 30-year rule. Congress has failed to challenge them. AAP is now the only credible alternative. From today, we launch our ‘Gujarat Jodo Abhiyan’ to mobilize the youth and end corruption,” Kejriwal said.