AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal visited Karapur-Sarvan, Goa, on Sunday, May 31, 2026, and assured local villagers that an Aam Aadmi Party government in the state would repeal Section 39(A) and revoke all permissions granted under it, accusing the BJP government of favouring builders and colonisers over Goan communities.

Context

Addressing residents at Karapur-Sarvan, Kejriwal declared, 'Goa is not for sale,' framing his visit as a direct response to villagers' grievances over land rights, village boundaries, and ecological protection. He alleged that the current Goa BJP government 'works for builders and colonisers, while Goans are left to fight for their land, villages and ecology.'

The visit positions AAP as a champion of community land rights ahead of the next Goa assembly elections, due by 2027. Karapur-Sarvan has been a focal point of local protests over land-related permissions and environmental concerns.

Policy Backdrop

Section 39(A) of Goa's land legislation has been contested by local communities who argue that permissions granted under it have enabled large-scale real-estate and infrastructure projects at the expense of villages and coastal ecology. Kejriwal pledged that an AAP government would not only repeal the provision but also reverse all approvals already issued under it — a commitment that goes further than simply halting future permissions.

AAP first contested the Goa assembly elections in 2022, running on a platform that included sharp criticism of land deals and governance under the BJP. The party's renewed outreach in the state follows a pattern of aligning with local protests over land use, a strategy it has deployed in other non-traditional states as well.

Goa's tourism-driven economy has made land conversion and real-estate development perennial political flashpoints, with coastal communities repeatedly raising concerns about ecological damage and displacement.

Stakeholders and Impact

For Goan villagers and local communities in areas like Karapur-Sarvan, Kejriwal's assurance offers a legislative remedy they have long demanded. A repeal of Section 39(A), if enacted, would directly affect permissions already in the pipeline and potentially unwind approvals that communities allege were granted without adequate consultation.

The Goa BJP government and the real-estate and construction interests aligned with it face a direct political challenge. The BJP has governed Goa since 2017, emphasising infrastructure and economic growth; AAP's framing casts that record as one of ecological neglect and land alienation.

Environmental groups and civil-society organisations active in coastal Goa are likely to watch Kejriwal's commitment closely, as it could amplify pressure on the ruling government to address pending land-use disputes before the election cycle begins in earnest.

What's Next

With Goa assembly elections expected by early 2027, AAP's land-rights pitch is set to become a central plank of its campaign in the state. Any legislative or judicial proceedings on land permissions granted under Section 39(A) will sharpen the debate further.

Kejriwal's visit to Karapur-Sarvan signals that AAP intends to contest the BJP on local, community-specific issues rather than only broad governance themes — a ground-level approach that mirrors its early mobilisation in Delhi and later in Punjab.