With the fate of 251 candidates this Assembly elections sealed along with the EVMs, the air is filled with speculations and talks about who will win and who will not. The money game that began with cash distribution to voters has resurfaced with the arrival of the “bookies” who are trying to make a quick buck out of the speculations.
While the future of Goa hangs in the balance, a visit to any local hangout anywhere in Goa makes you witness to talks of what the election results would possibly be. It is fun to listen to drunken conversations and arguments about the same. Display of half knowledge is rampant and sometimes hilarious. In every such discussion it is not difficult to find at least one person who is a “know-it-all”. This generally half-drunk person claims to know insider stories related to just about any candidate or party being discussed. It is really and truly funny to be a part of these charades.
While being amusing, this really speaking is not funny in the least. For sensible people it is a very serious affair. The long and arduous wait till the results fills one with dread. I for one have been trying to get a grip on what the results might be like. But it seems that this time around it is close to impossible to analise and speculate. The anti-saffron wave was quite strong but the unnecessary long-drawn game plan of the hand also bored the eager voter and it seems like the common man may capitalise on the mess, and if not win, at least will prove a strong point.
The grand alliance ploy was stretched far too long and in the end it only led to more and more confusion and inter-party conflicts. Leaders tried to cover the mess by serving half-cooked and silly excuses. But today’s voter is well-informed and the level of awareness is at its highest. It is not easy to take people for a ride nowadays. The degree of people’s naiveté is not like it used to be in the yesteryears. Everyone knows what is going on. It is not easy to pull the wool over peoples eyes. Like in the words of the legendary King of raggae, Bob Marley, “You can fool some people for some time, not all the people all the time..!”
This brings to mind the approximately 17500 postal votes that could be a huge game changer for a lot of constituencies. So the wooing game is still not over. Candidates in these particular constituencies are still running from pillar-to-post trying to gain control over these bonus votes that could possibly change their fortunes.
What will finally happen on March 11 is anybody’s guess. In the meantime all we can do is sit and wait with our fingers crossed hoping for a government dedicated to progress. Lets root for really capable candidates to win, candidates who for once will shift their focus from their pockets to the state of affairs today. We have suffered enough and it is now time for a resurgent governance that actively promotes development and one that keeps away the demons that have earlier attempted to eat into our Secular fabric.
No matter what happens, till the results, being a true-blue Goan, I will continue visiting the local “tinto” and “tavern” for keeping myself amused and delighted, and to actively participate in the waylaid speculative discussions and conversations about the “FATE OF OUR STATE”.
