Why the BJP doesn’t want Assembly poll by mid-December?
GOANEWS DESK, PANAJI | 11 February 2016 12:16 IST
Goa Assembly election by mid-December? This is one issue where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and the newly formed anti-BJP Goa Forward meet. But neither BJP’s alliance partner – the MGP – nor its traditional rival – the Congress.
The churning has begun with ‘highly reliable sources’ in the Election Commission of India sending fillers through media that it is planning to prepone the Assembly election by mid-December.
The term of Goa Assembly ends on 18 March next year.
The grounds for early election are simple. When it was held in March in 2012, there were lots of complaints because it’s examination time whether in Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttarakhand or Uttar Pradesh, where elections were held together, between 28 January to 4 March.
Though formal decision in this regard would be taken only in June, the ECI officials in Goa thought of mid-December because Christmas festivities begin from 20 December onwards, also combined with peak season of tourism, after which starts examination season that goes on till April.
But the first one to react negatively to this ‘thought’ was the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
“December is the season of Christmas, New Year, tourism and many music festivals happening when security machinery is under immense pressure. January second week would be a better proposition”, said Vinay Tendulkar, who is elected the local BJP president for the second term.
But is it the pressure on security forces the saffron party is concerned about or the voters belonging to the minority community, who come down in a big number from abroad to celebrate Christmas?
Unlike 2012 when minorities wholeheartedly chose the BJP as an alternative to teach a life-time lesson to the Congress, tables have turned against the ruling saffron brigade now as far as minorities are concerned.
BJP’s senior alliance partner – the MGP – however does not agree with this theory and claims that the minorities are with them.
“Minority vote does not make much of a difference to us”, claims Lavoo Mamledar, vice president of the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, BJP’s major alliance partner.
According to MGP’s Ponda MLA, voters including minorities will look at the governance and vote, not on religious lines.
He thus felt election earlier is better for the ruling alliance, though he clarifies that the issue has not been discussed officially yet.
“But we have been discussing it informally and our party is all prepared to face election any moment”, says the only non-minister MLA from the three-member party.
Goa Forward, whose priority agenda is to defeat the BJP at any cost, shares similar sentiments as their ruling rivals.
“Tourism season starts picking up from November and Goan community is busy with business activity. Wrong time to have election”, says Prabhakar Timble, the president of GF.
He however does not fail to mention that he is not aware why BJP is opposing election in December but people are all prepared to defeat the ruling party in next election.
Girish Chodankar, the AICC secretary based in Goa, however says BJP’s opposition to early election itself is a clear indication that the ruling party is scared to face the electorate.
“They are trying to postpone their five-year honeymoon as long as possible and waiting for a miracle to happen to regain their lost position in the minds of the public”, says the young Congress leader, who still co-ordinates NSUI – students’ wing of Congress – at national level.
Chodankar claims that sympathisers and even some of the workers of the BJP have gone against the party and they are buying time for damage control.
“While Goa witnessed Parivartan in 2012 election, we will see Mahaparivartan happening in the next election”, says Chodankar.
He also denies the fact that the opposition Congress is in a worst condition that what the BJP he claims to be in.
Dr Oscar Rebello, local leader of the Aam Aadmi Party which is busy making inroads at grassroot level, has an altogether different theory – more economic than political.
“The BJP wants to squeeze last juice of the lemon till the end rather than going for the battle unprepared”, he put it bluntly.
Whatever the timing of the elections this "blend" of 3 anti-BJP parties, namely Congress, AAP & Goa Forward, I am sure will dig their own grave and indirectly raise the BJP to the podium as the winner of the race. Unless...these 3 plus any other like minded parties - existing and the one likely to mushroom up soon - put their minds together, forget their egos, and make adjustments to realize their goal of defeating the BJP. One doesn't have to be a space scientist to know this: it is simple arithmetic.
Goans should be wary of these wolves in lambs' clothing. Personally my vote will be for the only Goa loving party - The GOA SURAJ PARTY.
Floriano, are you reading this?