While much is being read into BJP not formally stating that Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar will be the head of its government, if it comes to power in 2017, the reality is that the BJP has no choice but to be cautious and tread carefully, lest a single step goes wrong, in an election which may well go down to the wire.
As the year draws to a close, major events have unfolded, which have not left the BJP stronger. On the contrary, between Ganesh Chaturthi and Christmas, the boat which was sailing smoothly as the Congress was staring at a divided opposition, suddenly finds itself, in pretty rough waters. The Bharatiya Bhasha Surakha Manch, a close ally to begin with, when the BJP opposed grants for English medium primary schools, turned into a dissenting force before morphing itself into a staunch opponent whose very existence is dependent on the BJP losing the 2017 elections. As Mr Parsekar, in a show of absolute candidness among his party workers this week said, “We have lost a father (Subhash Velingkar, BBSM chief, who was removed as the head of the RSS in Goa) and he is hell bent on defeating the BJP. He doesn’t talk about winning”. While the truth really is, that the loss of Subhash Velingkar may hurt the party, it must be accepted the trigger was the sacking of Velingkar as the RSS chief. Velingkar, the BBSM and its political arm, the Goa Suraksha Manch, have dedicated their present politics not for the supremacy of regional languages at the cost of English, but to the single-minded objective of defeating the BJP and not letting it come to power. The intensity of this opposition, from a force which was very much a part of their parivar, has caused concern in the rank and file of the party.
Secondly, the decision to sack MGP ministers from the cabinet, following their sustained attack on the Chief Minister was welcomed in many quarters. But the political impact of the decision is being felt now and will be very intensely felt once the poll dates are announced. Which is why the dropping of Sudin and Deepak Dhavalikar from the government was not followed by inducting two BJP ministers. Nor was the alliance formally called off. There are hectic back door efforts made, by the BJP, and not the MGP to become partners again. The MGP, to reiterate, is not doing the running, knowing that the BBSM is waiting to tie up with them.
Thirdly the BJP has been forced to look at its relationship with the minorities, especially in Salcete. From a high of 2012, it has nose dived in 2017 and the biggest indication of this is clearly that none of the independent minority MLAs who won with BJP’s support in 2012, have agreed to contest on the party’s ticket. Strategically the BJP has decided to internally counter this, by actually welcoming some inroads made by AAP among the minorities and its naming of minority Chief Ministerial candidate. As a senior BJP leader told Herald recently “We will not speak against AAP, the way it is done in Delhi. Here AAP’s presence suits us”.
Finally the Archbishop’s, Christmas Day address, where he observed that environmental degradation had lead to rampant corruption and a weakened governance, forced the Chief Minister to go to the extent of saying that he did not agree with the Archbishop, clearly indicating that the ruling government, felt the impact of the Archbishop’s observations. What is more significant is that the Chief Minister has sought an appointment with the Bishop to clarify and discuss these points.
In the light of all these, the party has no option but to hold back naming someone as CM candidate, as the AAP has done. If there is a fractured mandate where the BJP is short of majority several compromises may have to be made, including its choice of its Chief Minister.
