Panaji: In a significant development for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Goa, four senior leaders, including the party’s former state president Amit Palekar and acting chief Srikrishna Parab, announced their resignation on Monday, signaling internal discontent within the state unit. The other two leaders who quit were Rohan Naik, president of the Goa AAP youth wing, and Chetan Kamat, the youth wing’s vice president.

Amit Palekar, who was the party’s presumptive chief ministerial candidate during the 2022 Goa Assembly elections, had been removed from his post as state president last month following AAP’s disappointing performance in the Zilla Panchayat elections. The party, which contested 42 seats, secured only one, while the ruling BJP-MGP alliance won 32 seats and the Congress managed to capture 10.

Following Palekar’s removal, Srikrishna Parab, who held the additional charge of state unit president while serving as the party’s state organisation secretary, also tendered his resignation, joining Palekar in exiting the party.

Reasons Behind the Resignations

In a statement released on X, Palekar explained that his decision to leave the party stemmed from growing dissonance between the ideals that drew him to AAP and the current practices within the party. “I joined the Aam Aadmi Party because I believed in its promise of an alternative political culture anchored in transparency, internal democracy, and respect for grassroots voices. Over time, however, it became increasingly difficult to reconcile these ideals with the way decisions are presently taken and communicated,” he said.

He added that the top-down approach adopted by the national leadership was not merely affecting individual leaders but was straining the institutional framework of the party. “When dialogue and consultation are limited, and decisions flow only from the top, it does not weaken individuals but strains institutions. For a movement that set out to redefine democratic functioning, this divergence has been deeply disheartening,” Palekar said in the letter.

At a press conference in Panaji, Palekar elaborated further on the circumstances leading to his resignation. He expressed displeasure over the manner in which he was relieved from his post as state president, claiming it was unjust to single him out for the party’s poor showing in local elections. “The responsibility for electoral performance lies not just with state leaders but also with the national leadership. It is unfair to attribute the entire outcome to me,” he said.

Calls for a United Opposition

One of the key points of disagreement cited by Palekar was the party’s stance on alliances. He has long advocated for AAP to join hands with other opposition parties in Goa to challenge the BJP, a position he has consistently maintained over the past few years. “I stand firmly with my belief in a united opposition for the interest of Goa and Goans,” Palekar said.

He recalled that after the party’s significant defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections in February 2025, he had urged the AAP leadership to consider forming alliances to strengthen opposition forces in Goa. Palekar noted that despite AAP’s independent stance, the party had extended support to the Congress during the Lok Sabha elections, asking declared AAP candidates to stand down and reportedly working harder than Congress in several constituencies. “It is very easy to say we don’t want an alliance, but when Congress needed our support for the Lok Sabha elections, we took a step back,” he said.

Youth Leaders Also Exit

The resignations of Rohan Naik and Chetan Kamat, both prominent leaders within the party’s youth wing in Goa, reflect wider dissatisfaction within the state’s younger cadre. Naik and Kamat cited similar reasons of centralised decision-making and lack of consultation as their motivations for leaving. Their departure, coupled with Palekar and Parab’s exits, represents a significant weakening of the party’s core leadership in Goa.

Impact on AAP in Goa

The departures come at a critical juncture for AAP, which has been attempting to consolidate its presence in Goa after its initial foray in the 2022 Assembly elections. While the party had projected itself as a transparent and grassroots-driven alternative to traditional political formations, the resignations highlight internal challenges in maintaining cohesion, especially when faced with electoral setbacks.

Political analysts note that the exits of senior leaders and youth representatives could hinder AAP’s ability to effectively contest upcoming elections in Goa, including potential Assembly and local body elections. The resignations may also impact the morale of grassroots workers and volunteers, who had been key to the party’s early organisational efforts in the state.

Looking Ahead

As AAP recalibrates its strategy in Goa, the party’s national leadership will need to address the concerns raised by Palekar, Parab, and the youth wing leaders to prevent further attrition. Analysts suggest that the Goa unit must rebuild internal communication channels, ensure greater consultation with state-level leaders, and reassess its stance on alliances if it aims to establish a long-term foothold in the state’s political landscape.

Meanwhile, Palekar and Parab have indicated that their commitment to public service and alternative political culture remains intact, even as they part ways with AAP. Their exit underscores the challenges facing emergent political movements in balancing national directives with regional realities.

Conclusion

The resignations of four senior Goa AAP leaders, including the state president and acting chief, signal a critical moment for the party in the state. With electoral setbacks, disagreements over leadership style, and debates over alliances contributing to the departures, AAP faces the challenge of reestablishing internal cohesion and retaining credibility among grassroots supporters. How the party responds in the coming months could determine its political trajectory in Goa’s evolving landscape.

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