Times have changed. And so has the Parivar. The 2014 version of a BJP state executive meeting, two days ago, was a shocking departure from the template of any such party gatherings, where the party President and the Chief Minister spoke, resolutions were passed and life went on. This one was different. The State executive meeting held in the heart of Panjim on Friday, “behind closed doors” of course, where nothing was really closed, was a mini historic one.
Two incidents happened that were almost unbelievable. In the first, party workers including members of block committees, bitterly complained about Mr Parrikar not being accessible to them. While several workers ranted as the Chief Minister listened, not once denying or rejecting the charge, the gathering was surprised when one of them remarked that former Congress Chief Minister DIgambar Kamat was always available to the common man on phone. There was direct access between the Chief Minister and people, the worker said. Imagine a former Congress Chief Minister praised at a BJP state executive meeting.
The second incident, of a different nature, too came as a bit of a surprise, though the genesis of this was well understood. One block member rose to suggest that the BJP should break its ties with the MGP, strengthen the party organisation and go it alone in the next elections. The inspiration obviously came from the Maha breakup of the BJP and the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra. But more than the suggestion that was made the reaction was even more stupefying. According to some of those present, industries minister Mahadev Naik and Curchorem MLA and GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral apparently applauded this suggestion.
Let us look at both these issues, apparently divergent but not quite if you study the root cause of both. The frustration of party workers stems from the fact that their individual hold in their villages and blocks, by being able to get things done, fix appointments and promise jobs has slipped. Even though the Chief Minister had to become a party man and admit that even if one worker is denied a job, ten others are appointed, the control or apparent control that Congress party workers felt during the Digambar Kamat regime is missing. The bigger reason is that even MLA’s do not have a free run of the government and its departments anymore. Hence the frustration over accessibility is increasing. While the system may be stronger, is it serving the larger political purpose that all ruling parties hope for when they are in power, keeping the cadre happy.
Secondly, the feeling among party ranks, even if these are isolated incidents, that the alliance with the MGP is more of a bane than a boon, assumes some political significance. On the issue of effective administration, boosting economy and tourism, versus hard line rightwing politics, the MGP and the BJP are on opposite sides of the fence. Sudhin Dhavlikar’s no holds barred position on several issues, in line with right wing hard line outfits like Sri Ram Sene, doesn’t quite fit in with the BJP’s immediate administrative and even political needs. There are sections within the BJP who are not comfortable with the MGP presence. At the same time the 6% vote that MGP commands is important since there was a mere 1% vote difference between the BJP and the Congress in the last assembly elections with the rider that the BJP on its own contested fewer seats than the Congress.
Grassroot workers want a free run across constituencies to work towards 2017. It is that time in the life of a Chief Minister where the government runs on auto pilot and he gradually goes back to streamlining the party and keeping it battle ready for the next elections. Mr Parrikar does not have the luxury of doing so. He is obsessed, and is forced to be, with administration. The fallout in the party is of concern. With the party in power, the average BJP worker does not have the confidence and the swagger of a local ruler because he has now expressed that he has limited access to his MLA and zero access to the Chief Minister.
While the CM will dismiss this, it will do him no good to do so. The frustrations of his party workers were aired in the meeting on Friday and these voices have found their way into the media space. Even if their allegations are way off the mark, the very fact they are speaking in such a voice, is itself serious. Questions need to be asked not to him but to people who actually control the party, men like Satish Dhond or Sanjiv Desai, the backroom boys.
2014 will quickly turn to 2017 before we or Mr Parrikar knows it. These trickles of discontent shouldn’t be allowed to become a tsunami.
