Panaji: The Congress high command has decided that Amit Patkar will continue as the President of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) until the 2027 Goa Assembly elections, putting to rest speculation about a possible leadership change within the state unit.

Sources in the party said that Patkar has been directed by the central leadership to immediately begin preparations for the 2027 Assembly polls and to strengthen the organisational structure across the state as part of the electioneering process.

The decision reportedly came after a series of meetings in Delhi between senior Congress leaders and the Goa unit. Earlier, a high-level meeting was held with Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, attended by Patkar and all Congress MLAs from Goa, where several critical political and organisational issues were discussed.

Following that meeting, there were strong rumours within the party about a possible change of guard in the GPCC leadership, but no such decision was taken and Patkar continued in his position. In the latest round of discussions in Delhi, the high command has now reaffirmed its confidence in Patkar’s leadership and asked him to strategise the party’s campaign for the 2027 elections.

However, the decision comes amid visible internal differences within the Goa Congress. Party sources indicate that there are contrasting views between sections of the GPCC executive committee and the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) regarding alliances with regional parties.

While Patkar and a section of the organisation are believed to be inclined towards working with the Goa Forward Party (GFP), several Congress MLAs are reportedly more comfortable aligning with the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP). These differences were said to have surfaced clearly during the recent Zilla Parishad elections, reflecting the growing divide within the state unit over alliance strategy.

Within the party, one group has been pushing for a change in the GPCC leadership, while another faction believes that Patkar should continue leading the organisation until the 2027 Assembly elections to ensure continuity and stability in the party’s strategy.

Meanwhile, sources also indicated that formal discussions on potential alliances with regional parties are likely to begin soon, as the Congress leadership evaluates options to build a broader opposition front against the ruling BJP in Goa.

With the high command now backing Patkar to lead the organisation into the 2027 elections, attention will shift to how the rival factions within the Goa Congress respond to the decision and whether the party can bridge internal differences ahead of the crucial electoral battle.