PANJIM: A brand new party that was not even officially registered till midway in the election campaign has fielded 38 candidates and funded them. Based largely on backing from non-resident Goans who do not vote, but have an influence over relatives in Goa, RG, according to other non-BJP political parties and people has become the silent vote cutter of non-BJP votes
Its president Manoj Parab who is from Bicholim is from the same village area as the all-powerful BJP organization secretary Satish Dhond. Though Parab and his party have formally taken an anti-BJP line and spoken against the government, its sheer presence, especially in Salcete, Mormugao and Tiswadi is likely to cut into votes which would otherwise have gone to non-BJP parties.
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A senior lecturer in a government college in Sattari who requested anonymity said, “It is clear to us what RG is doing. He is strategically contesting against Vishwajit Rane because that suits them internally. That’s why Parab did not contest against the CM after announcing that he would.”
But this is what his party says. RG media coordinator Sunaina Gawas said that Parab decided to contest from Tivim and Valpoi “bowing to the wishes of his supporters and people”.
“People from Shel-Melaulim who were agitating against the proposed IIT project forced him to contest from Valpoi constituency. Similar was the case in Tivim which is Parab’s home constituency,” Gawas, who is contesting from Mandrem, said. In Mandrem again, Gawas will get votes to further divide the votes against Dayanand Sopte of the BJP which will now be divided between Laxmikant Parsekar the TMC, and Goa Forward.
Radharao Gracias veteran political analyst said it is not rocket science to know exactly what RG’s role is. “Get some funding from abroad by giving tall promises and selling dreams to NRI Goans and keeping the party running to split votes to favour BJP. There is nothing complicated about this,” Gracias said.
Says Rajendra Kakokdkar of TMC, but also a columnist and economist, “One wonders a lot about RG’s funding, the manner in which it appears to be getting backing mainly from NRI Goans. There is absolutely no doubt about their vote cutter role. And the BJP is not complaining because it is a beneficiary.”
Congress is not taking any chances and has been appealing to the people not to waste their vote by casting it to non-serious candidates fielded by various parties. Revolutionary Goans is contesting 38 seats with its president Parab fielded from two constituencies.
“At all other places, we are fighting against Congress-GFP alliance. Only in Aldona, we have extended our support to Adv Ferreira as an individual irrespective of his party affiliation,” said spokesperson Gawas. It is clearly who the RG’s main opponent is.
The Congress candidates are not worried about RG’s presence to their prospects. But behind the scenes, they are doing calculations on even how a few votes they get might be the difference between winning and losing.
Congress St Andre candidate Tony Fernandes said that RG won’t affect him. But the RG candidate Viresh Borkar is doing an aggressive campaign
Panjim Congress candidate Elvis Gomes said he had not even seen the RG candidate in the constituency. “Nobody has heard of him,” he said, when contacted during his door-to-door campaigning. But in a close contest, even 500 votes, could make the race between Elvis and Babush Monserrate of BJP that much close.
In Valpoi, the script changes. Here RG is officially fighting BJP’s Vishwajit Rane. But in the internal BJP politics Rane could emerge as one of the challengers of Pramod Sawant. This is where RG’s Parab comes in handy.
Priyesh Naik, who is the election agent of Manoj Parab for Valpoi says, “People of Valpoi are waiting for a change and we will bring that change in this election. People are demanding land rights and the real fight is between RG and BJP in Valpoi.”
