Goa Khabar : The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Goa today exposed a deep nexus between Congress President Amit Patkar and Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant, alleging that Patkar has personally benefitted from iron ore transport permits sanctioned under the BJP government.
Addressing a press conference in Panaji, AAP Goa President Amit Palekar revealed that official records from the Goa Legislative Assembly (LAQ data) show that a company linked to Amit Patkar — Amit Earth Movers — received iron ore transport permits totaling 89,031.67 tonnes between 2023 and 2025. The ore was transported from Pissurlem and other mines to Vagus, Alcon, NRB, and Maina jetties, all under the jurisdiction of the Chief Minister’s office and the state’s mining department.
“This data clearly shows how the BJP government, led by Dr. Pramod Sawant, has extended favours to Amit Patkar’s firm. While the people of Goa suffer due to unemployment and corruption, Congress and BJP leaders are hand-in-glove, profiting from Goa’s natural resources,” said Amit Palekar.
Palekar questioned why Patkar has never criticized the Chief Minister publicly despite claiming to oppose the BJP government. “Amit Patkar occasionally targets Health Minister Vishwajit Rane but never says a word against the Chief Minister. He even meets Dr. Sawant secretly. This silence has a price — and the iron ore data proves it,” Palekar asserted.
The AAP President accused both Congress and BJP of betraying the people of Goa and said that the current Congress leadership has become a tool to keep the BJP in power. Palekar added, “The BJP fears the rise of AAP because we are the only party that can defeat them on the ground. That’s why BJP has jailed our national leaders — Arvind Kejriwal, Satyendar Jain, Manish Sisodia, and Sanjay Singh. Their fear is proof of our growing strength.”
Reiterating AAP’s call for political change, Palekar appealed to Goans: “People of Goa have lost their voice under this corrupt regime. Give AAP one chance in 2027, and we will send the BJP home and restore honest governance.”
No Alliance with Congress – Valmiki Naik
Speaking at the same press conference, AAP National Spokesperson Valmiki Naik declared that AAP will not enter into any alliance with the Congress Party in the upcoming 2027 elections.
“Since 1999, except for 2012, the BJP has formed its government in Goa with Congress’s indirect support. Even today, two-thirds of BJP’s 33 MLAs are originally from Congress. This shows that both parties are two sides of the same coin,” Naik said.
Naik challenged the Congress leadership to bring back its defected MLAs and form a government on its own if it truly opposed the BJP.
“Congress should stop pretending to fight the BJP while secretly helping them. Goa deserves an honest alternative — and AAP is that alternative,” he concluded.
