The High Commands of parties in Delhi, were in Goa at the same time this week, even as their state heads, in different interviews declared getting a clear majority in the 2022 elections. It seems that no single party will get less than 27 to 30 seats. On a lighter note, for that to happen, the size of the Assembly has to be at least 60 plus seats

How can parties claim majority before the people have spoken

Anyone who is in touch with the pulse of Goa, knows there are more tears than smiles in the faces and hearts of people. They are just about coming out of one of the worst medical crises of their lives. Many of them are mourning the loss of their dear ones, all victims of COVID. The economically well off are waiting for the announced compensation for the death of their family members to COVID, while some of them may not even get that since many deaths haven’t been listed as COVID deaths.

Even as we begin to get back to work and businesses reopen, political parties, both in ruling and opposition should ask themselves is they ‘served’ during a crisis. And did they stand shoulder to shoulder with the people when it mattered

- Did they really serve the person at the bottom of the ladder when his family needed the government at the most during COVID times?

- Did the ruling government provide beds and oxygen at a pace needed to save precious lives?

- Have they learnt from the mistakes of non-availability of infrastructure and lack of planning which led to the Oxygen (*lack of) related deaths in GMC for a week?

The opposition parties too seemed to have moved on. Do not forget Goa had the highest death to population density ration in the entire country for close to four weeks. There was 

absolute chaos in the state with bodies in a silent procession to crematoriums and cemeteries.

Goa is going through one of the biggest unemployment and self-employment and earning crises. If is not only about tourism being shut and people centric sustainable mining yet to start. It is about no money being in the hands of people and there being no earning capacity.

People’s lives cannot be revived by giving monthly packages and doles. It’s about creating earning capacities by helping small businesses and reviving economies.

Before making claims of winning absolute majority, no one has addressed the core facing the people of Goa

While Herald has constantly raised other key issues like the damage of coal transportation, the destruction that the three linear projects will cause and again no party has given its clear plan on addressing this, the post COVID (and floods) trauma, and a critical economic crisis with avenues of earning being totally blocked.

So why are elections a festival? It is festival of celebrating the right they have to change what is wrong and reward what is right. It is a festival of choice and decision making

Even if people are facing hardships and grief, they will celebrate the festival of elections because that is the only answer they can give to those who haven’t delivered as well as to those who haven’t stood by their side and raised their voices before those who take decisions. Yes, both the ruling and the opposition are on test here.

A decision will be made on whether parties have been pro people or not

When parties are claiming that will get a clear majority or 27 plus seats out of 40 have they asked themselves the following questions:

- Have people expressed their will?

- Have they shortlisted people desired candidates?

- Have parties presented their taluka, district and state level vision plans

People see through political marketing

Confidence is acceptable but claims of getting a majority cannot be just words or political marketing. What is found on the ground is clear. They see unfulfilled promises, they see lack of understanding and heart and then they see no vision or planning where serious thought has gone into people’s issues. 

Has a single party claiming a majority finalized a single candidate proposed and chosen by the people?

Candidate selection has unfortunately been all about distributing tickets at random with zero effort or inclination in getting civic society, citizen’s influencers (*and not social media influencers). Politics cannot be only about politicians and parties. It has to be about polity. And this is where people of all walks of life and society, especially those who can creatively communicate, articulate the will of the people and place themselves in a position where they can be people’s representatives.

Have parties asked peoples at panchayat levels to start preparing people’s manifestos

Elections are a mix of state and local issues. Goa is perhaps one of the few states where local issues panchayats, civic body and Assembly elections overlap. People also look for solutions in each of these elections. Since local elections are seen only as stepping stones for the Assembly elections, parties must list and have a plan to address them. Which they unfortunately don’t. 

Elections are a process. What you are offering to the people needs to be clearly defined, before any political marketing

People do not only vote for a candidate or party. They vote for a better system, better governance and a better future. Simply, without giving confidence to the people that a better system will be created, and telling them how it will be done, it is unjust, unfair and undemocratic to make claims getting absolute majorities.

Let people decide that, not political parties. In a festival of elections, politicians are invited to make their future better. They come as guests and if they deliver, they stay as servants of the people. If they don’t, they are asked to leave.