TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Church circulars on elections mean nothing in this migrant-dominated slum atop Moti Dongor. So are appeals from political parties seeking votes. Instead, diktat from their ‘badsha’ Margao MLA Digambar Kamat mattered more than anything else for these migrant inhabitants, who diligently voted for him.
But the ground reality atop this hillock is all set to change this Lok Sabha poll with the migrant leaders no longer looking upto Digambar and Congress. Instead, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has turned out to be a saviour for the inhabitants in the changing power equation as the sword of demolition continues to hang over the residents since the last one year.
Perhaps for the first time in the last one decade, the BJP has made its big presence felt atop Moti Dongor in a bid to pocket the migrant vote – which had eluded the saffron party since Digambar had quit the BJP to embrace the BJP in 2005.
A month ago, migrant residents were unwilling to speak their mind out on the party they would support in the April 12 poll. They insisted they would stand by those who stood by them when notices were served on them to demolish their hutments. With just 10 days to go for polling, leaders atop the hillock have joined the BJP bandwagon, moving around the narrow lanes and by-lanes inside the slum seeking votes for Narendra Sawaikar.
The reasons for the changing ground reality is not far too seek. Once considered as badsha, the Margao MLA has come in for sever criticism from the migrants, who accuse him of leaving them in the lurch when they were told to demolish their illegal structures. Says Tara Rajput: “Digambar completely let us down when we approached him for help when we were served a 7-day deadline to raze down the structures. The MLA literally threw his hands up, expressing his inability to bail us out. We had done everything for this man, but he turned against us. It was through the good offices of some BJP leaders that we arranged lawyers to stay the demolition order. This time, we will all vote for the BJP candidate”.
Another leader Maulasab Belbati, who has challenged the demolition notices in the High Court, echoed similar sentiments. “We have decided to back the BJP in this election. No doubt, Digambar had helped us in 1984 by getting the area notified as a slum and had provided us other amenities. When we approached him after the Comunidade issued the notices, he promised us to give a lawyer. But residents are agitated with Kamat because he did not save us from the situation when he was the Chief Minister. When it came to the demolitions, he did nothing. Since the BJP is ruling the state, we have pinned our hopes on Manohar Parrikar”.
The changing equation atop Moti Dongor has turned the Congress camp jittery. Says Independent MLA Vijai Sardessai: “We have been told that a big chunk of Moti Dongor will vote for the BJP this time. I feel that all is still not lost for the Congress. We will assess the situation and ensure that Congress does not lag behind”, he added.
