It’s a pretty familiar sight. Except that it is not pretty. The nominations for the Panjim by-elections have begun, and as always the Congress is looking at taking a decision on who its candidate in Panjim will be. And it will probably decide close to the last date of filing of nominations.
It has been more than four months since the Assembly electrons were over and it was clear by end of April that Manohar Parrikar would contest the by-elections from Panjim, after the seat was vacated. At that point of time most of the MLAs and some within the party, decided to take a line independent of the then GPCC President Luizinho Faleiro and literally fall at the feet of the Taleigao satrap who they ousted, Babush Monseratte, to be the candidate in Panjim.
From then on, the Congress outsourced not one but two projects to Monseratte. Project one: Topple the Parrikar government by getting Goa Forward on the Congress side, a project that not just failed miserably, but left the Congress shamed, insulted and defaced, as the main architect Monseratte coolly ditched them and joined the Goa Forward.
The second outsourced project was the Panjim by-election. The Congress felt that, that like Dominos pizza, they could actually order a candidate and the entire election process on speed dial with a few meetings. Yes, this is as official as it can get. The party was so dependent on this outsourced model that they paid absolutely no attention to the organisation in the constituency. The grass-root bottom up approach, followed in the run up to the Assembly elections, where the local block would short list candidates which in turn would be endorsed by the district and finally the high command, was consigned to flames.
From then to a week ago, even the new GPCC president, who was brought in only because Luizinho Faleiro refused to endorse this outsourcing project where not just the Panjim seat, but the party’s prestige and dignity would be surrendered, literally waited for Babush Monseratte to get into campaign mode, till he pulled the ground from under Congress’ feet.
As they desperately hunt for candidates, with no one lining up for the party ticket, and Congressmen, both young and old like Yatish Naik and Ramakant Khalap, outrightly refusing to get into the cess pool, perhaps, the Congress will have time to ponder and ask, what remains of the party and the organisation.
The Congress office in Panjim is devoid of energy and even people. The new GPCC president, Shantaram Naik, in the week when Monseratte joined the Goa Forward, plunging the party into a pre-poll crisis, spent his last days in the Rajya Sabha, not making the urgent trip to Goa. During this period the AICC desk in- charge Mr Chella Kumar rushed to Panjim to take stock of the situation in the absence of the GPCC chief. From the time he has taken charge not even one meeting of the state executive has been held, and that too on the eve of two crucial by polls.
But the blame cannot lie on his shoulders alone. He has just arrived and the MLAs and the leadership which wanted Babush Monseratte to be their saviour – including if one may add the AICC secretary Mr Chella Kumar – must either explain or take the responsibility of plunging into work to try and win the two by-polls.
At this point of time it appears that the Congress is just going through the motions of desperately flinging its arms, like a fishing net, hoping that at least one fish would stick and contest the elections. The list of those who have rejected their offer is growing longer while the list of those who may be interested remains a miniscule. Thus far Advocates Surendra Desai, Yatish Naik, and ex-BJP mayor Ashok Naik have all turned down the ticket. Even Ramakant Khalap whose name was floated has personally expressed his absolute disinterest. As a last minute compromise, AICC’s Girish Chodankar may be drafted in as a face saving exercise.
The tragedy is that the Congress has reduced this to such farcical levels that it doesn’t really matter who contests or whether it contests at all.
