In a significant political move, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has removed Amit Palekar from his position as the president of its Goa state unit. The decision, announced on Wednesday, December 26, 2025, comes in the immediate aftermath of the party's disappointing performance in the recent Zilla Panchayat elections in the coastal state.
The Trigger: A Solitary Seat in Panchayat Polls
The party's action follows a bleak electoral showing where the AAP, contesting alone without any alliance, managed to secure just one seat out of 50. The party won the Colva seat by a slender margin. In contrast, the ruling alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) swept the polls, winning 32 seats. The Congress secured 10 seats, its ally Goa Forward Party (GFP) got one, the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP) won two, and four independents were elected.
The AAP's Political Affairs Committee issued a statement confirming that Palekar was relieved of his duties with immediate effect. The party appointed state general secretary (organisation) Shrikrishna Parab to take on the additional charge as the Goa unit president until further orders. Attempts to reach Palekar for comment following the announcement were unsuccessful.
Palekar's Public Advocacy for Opposition Unity
The removal is notably linked to Palekar's public statements made just two days prior, on Monday, after the poll results were declared. In an interview with a regional news channel, the former state chief openly advocated for a strategic shift, stating that an alliance with like-minded opposition parties was "imperative to defeat the BJP."
He acknowledged that his views might not align with the party's national stance but emphasized the need to understand "Goa's genetics." Palekar argued that while AAP had tried to offer an alternative political model, it had "somewhere, failed" in the state context. He indicated he would present his suggestions to the party leadership, firmly stating that there was "no other way out" for future electoral success than forming a joint opposition alliance, a process he believed needed to be completed within the next three months.
From BJP Associate to AAP's CM Face
Palekar's political journey adds context to this development. A lawyer and social activist, he joined the AAP in October 2021, ending a two-decade-long association with the BJP that began during his college days. His family has deep roots in BJP-led local politics; his mother was a former sarpanch and a long-time BJP state executive member, while his father was a teacher and former deputy sarpanch in Merces village, North Goa.
Soon after his entry, AAP projected him as its chief ministerial face for the 2022 Goa Assembly elections. He contested from the St. Cruz constituency but lost to the BJP candidate. His appointment was also seen by critics as an attempt by AAP to cater to the Bhandari Samaj, a significant OBC community in Goa. He was elevated to the state president's post more than three months after the 2022 assembly polls.
The party's decision to remove him underscores the internal reassessment within AAP's Goa strategy following the Zilla Panchayat verdict and highlights the ongoing debate within opposition ranks about the necessity of unity against the dominant BJP in the state.
