Panaji: The coming together of GFP president Vijai Sardesai and former Congress president Amit Patkar in protesting against the Railways’ double tracking work at Velsao has set off a fresh round of speculation in the state’s political circles, with observers watching closely for signs of a potential anti-BJP, anti-Congress third front taking shape ahead of the 2027 assembly polls.Sardesai said the party remains an ally of Congress, but the future of the alliance will have to be decided through talks, signalling growing discontent over Congress’ approach ahead of the 2027 assembly elections.“For this alliance to continue, whatever needs to be done can be discussed only when we sit and talk. We need to sit down. Right now, there are no signs of us sitting down (to discuss alliance),” Sardesai said. “I am not committing to any talks.”Sardesai said Congress had reached out to Revolutionary Goans (RG) for an alliance but had made no similar overture to GFP. He said he had no personal differences with Congress state president Girish Chodankar and that the party was free to contact him.“I have not received any letters from Congress to discuss alliances. If they sent it and it reached someone else, I don’t know. I can still receive WhatsApp messages from Girish. He can even WhatsApp me the letter, it will reach me,” he said.Sardesai also said AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge’s official visit to Goa had no implications for GFP. “I am his ally, and I met him earlier. He knows my name but there is no issue of me meeting him. I have not been called,” he said.Patkar, on his part, made no attempt to hide his disappointment over being kept out of the loop by Congress. . “It pains me, because for the last four years I gave my time, my energy, everything, to build the organisation of the party. If the AICC president is coming down for organisational matters and senior members who have spent years building the organisation are not taken into confidence, it raises serious questions on whether Congress is serious about fighting BJP in 2027.”
