Tuesday 05 November 2024

News Analysed, Opinions Expressed

OFFBREAK

In Search of Congress in Goa

 

Do you see it anywhere? As for me, the Congress is invisible, the NCP & MGP nowhere and the BJP is crumbling.


Congress party will make it alone to the next general elections!!  My question is -----Where is the Congress Party in Goa? Do you see it anywhere? As for me, the Congress is invisible, the NCP & MGP nowhere and the BJP is crumbling.

 I moved with a lantern in the broad daylight throughout Goa. In Valpoi, it was Vishwajeet from start to end. In Navelim, Cuncolim and Benaulim, it is Churchill, Joaquim and Valanka. In Poriem,  Bicholim, and Pale, I am told it is already captured by the yuva neta of Sattari. Quepem and Mandrem belongs to the two Babus. Mayem, Pernem and Sanvordem is kept as the exclusive property for a mining king.  Taleigao and the capital city of Panaji are gifted to Antanasio Monserrate.  The ticket counter for Fatorda and Curtorim is fixed and closed. All these individuals loudly claim tenancy rights on all these constituencies. The Congress Party whispers in a very low tone that all these are Congressmen. However, I have my serious doubts whether they belong to the Congress. They belong to themselves only.  The Congress party can call them as Congressmen only after taking their prior permission.

As a welcome exception, I saw semblance of Congress as a political party in some Assembly segments notably Shiroda, Margao, Dabolim  and Cortalim.

The BJP is crumbling. It is the oxygen provided by Manohar Parrikar and Damu Naik that keeps the outfit alive as a political party. There is no third person showing political intelligence. Issues such as temples, temple thefts, rewriting history and spreading hatred amongst communities keeps them busy and occupied. Instead of marching to a glorious and equitable future, they are marketing the unjust past to the electorate.

However, I have to admit that Manohar Parrikar enjoys support of his party workers and also of many loyal Congress workers. Many thinking Goans, including those from the Catholic community are fed up with the scams, scamsters, and opportunists in the Congress. They feel that Parrikar can provide some fresh air if given an opportunity. But, it is for the BJP to take the lead to convert this into votes for them. I feel the BJP think tank and loyal workers are not prepared to correct their mistakes and weaknesses to cash on the opportunity ahead. It is also possible that the Congress at the last minute may offer its symbol to some sitting BJP MLAs. People speak of such turn in constituencies like Canacona and Bicholim.

As regards NCP in Goa, I do not wish to waste any ink and e-space. In practice, there is no such a political party at all in Goa. The three legislators whom we feel are of NCP are there as an accident or due to the political market as existed during the time of the last Assembly election. And now it is not a secret that the offer of the Congress symbol for the forthcoming election stands confirmed for the two sitting NCP legislators. The NCP has practically disowned them and I feel that should mark the end of NCP as a legislature party in Goa. However, one or two last minute Congress rebels may prove me wrong.

MGP has no base at the grassroots except the base of the two Dhavlikars. This would be the base of MGP as long as the two stay with MGP. They have nothing to gain by giving up MGP. In fact, they may lose their bargaining power if they embrace the Congress. So, MGP is a party of Dhavlikers, for Dhavlikers and by Dhavlikers. And these two have to keep it alive.

The crumbling of BJP is due to its own failure to understand and live up to the ideals of democracy, secularism and communal harmony. For them a secularist is a pseudo, a man of scientific temper is a pseudo-intellectual. They treat social progressive groups with disdain and contempt. Their hands are not clean but maybe a little less dirty than the Congress. The party and party workers voice can be silenced by greasing the palms of saffron brigade and their outfits in the field of ‘deshbhakti’,  ‘deshsanskruti’ and education. The more they talk of the Narendra Modi model of acquiring political power, the faster they are destined to fall.

The question posed is------Should the Congress go alone? Yes. They should because the arithmetic is at present favouring them. Also, if they go alone, they will stand together as they would get more constituencies to distribute tickets and avoid likely rebellion.

I do not wish to belittle the work and commitment of Subhash Shirodkar and his team in putting the Congress party and its policies at the front. However, knowing the Congress party in Goa and the High Command in Delhi, the probability that the Congress will field the same sitting MLAs and a few of their family associates is very high. As said earlier, Congress would also rope in around three sitting MLAs of the BJP and two of the NCP under its banner. This is what Congress Party means by going it alone.

The Congress Party in Goa feels they have discovered the win -ability formula. Give to the people the candidates who have the capacity to drug the voters with the opium of money and keep them always dependent and vulnerable. Inject the fear of communalism and project before the people the same   bunch of idiots, jokers and people who have no respect for law and morality in public life. The Congress Party in Goa is confident that despite all this the Goan voters would stand by them.

And now you tell me. Why should the Congress not go alone when they know that Goans hold the idiots, jokers and the corrupt in high esteem? Koi shaque!

Disclaimer: Views expressed above are the author's own.



Good analysis of the political scenario in Goa.

The politicians in power strive hard to bring their kith and kin in politics bring in a dynasty era-may be because the winning of elections could give them the opportunity to loot and plunder the public funds...Or could it be to serve the people with honesty and humility....????Does not appear so......

The most serious fall out of the art of winning the elections and grabbing the chair is to create vote banks by taking care of the need of the section of the voters and making them corrupt and dependant.....

The Affidavit filed by the tainted ex-CVC -Mr. Thomas in the Apex Court clearly gives the statistics of the corrupt and criminals --153 out of 535.......Does this make us proud of the system....???

May be if we still do not wake up--the time has come for the change--as is happening in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.................

 
vishwas prabhudesai |

I pray Goa wakes up after reading this article....

 
Shamba Naik |

Good article and nice observation on current political scenanrio in goan political parties. your comments on congress are eye opener to every goan.

I agree that manohar parrikar should be given a second chance.

i only hope goans make right choice for next aseembly elections

 
Deepak Datar |

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Prabhakar Timble

Mr Prabhakar Timble is an educationist and a legal expert. He has served several educational institutions, especially as the Principal of Government College at Quepem, Kare College of Law in Madgao as well as couple of Management Institutes. He was also the State Election Commissioner of Goa.

 

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