These are a unique species. They are independent but not quite free. Having supported the idea of Manohar Parrikar for the first half of this term, they were actually stumped when he moved to Delhi, amidst rising discontent in their constituencies as the delivery of promises, both local and general came a cropper.
Emotional issues which have led to flare ups, like the medium of instruction imbroglio, and the rampant destruction of villages by manipulating the Regional Plan, and mounting grassroots corruption, led to a pre-mature alienation. This is when the ire of Goans, especially in Salcete, from where most of the Independents are peaked. These independents – Avertano Furtado, Benjamin Silva and Caitu Silva (though with the GVP, he is as good as an independent) – who are all politically immature and first timers, did not fathom that their victories were a result of absolute anger and disgust at the Congress functioning. Manohar Parrikar was seen as an agent of change, but this agent was allowed to do political business with Xaxticars, via the independent MLAs. People in these independent MLAs’ constituencies of Salcette, allowed themselves to vote for a candidate backed by the BJP, who would contribute to bringing the BJP back to power. In the last four years, these MLAs have made an unpardonable mistake of assuming that the votes they got were for a BJP government. They did not fathom that they got those votes simply to get the Congress out of power.
Therefore, the primary and nonnegotiable expectation that the people had from each of these MLAs was independence. People expected them to be loyal to their constituents and not blind followers of the Chief Minister. They saw the MLAs as their own men, in a government they found it difficult to naturally call their own. Therefore when emotive letdowns like the entry of huge projects in villages, the declassification of the coconut as a tree, the fallout of decisions by the Investment Promotion Board, the subversion of the Town and Country Planning act and the disrespect shown to promises made on the floor of the house, Xaxticars expected their Independent MLAs to speak for them, speak in their voice, not the voice of the BJP government.
It is the silence of the MLAs which was felt as the silence of the lambs. From anger, the feeling has turned to sadness and pity. Not a single Independent MLA backing the ruling party from Salcete, has raised an adjournment motion on the failure to de-notify the Regional Plan or the manner in which the MOPA airport project was fast tracked. When the agitation of parents, wanting grants for English schools to be an act, spilled from the schools and parks to the roads of Goa, with parents blocking traffic, was there a single Salcete MLA speaking for them? FORCE convenor Savio Lopes called off his hunger strike after an assurance the issue of notifying the MoI cabinet decision would be discussed in the Assembly. When this assurance was not fulfilled in two consecutive Assembly sessions, did a single Salcete MLA rise and peak against this injustice?
Each one of them has followed the same template. Be good to the Chief Minister and get funds and projects into the constituency. But Xaxticars prefer dignity and respect to their land more than projects and development. And in any case, with “development” equal to mega projects and road widening with no employment to locals, even this form of development has been rejected by the people of Salcete. Therefore when they see development of outside real estate sharks and loss of dignity and respect to themselves, where do Xaxticars go? Across Salcete, the mood is shifting. There is indeed lack of clarity and utmost confusion over opposition consolidation. But as it happened in 2012, people of Salcete first make up their mind about who they want to vote out. They then decide who they want to vote in. The Independent MLAs of Salcette backing the ruling party have been told to simply leave. They are on notice and will soon be fired come 2017.
