While the no confidence motion against the Laxmikant Parsekar government will make no material difference to the government, it’s tabling has upped the index of opposition unity and enabled opposition MLAs, who have alleged that the government and the Speaker have “hijacked the House”, to get some retribution. MLAs who have complained that questions and motions intended to put the government have been parried or simply moved from starred to the un-starred category, will now have the floor to speak on the motion, where a wide sweep of issues will be brought into play.
While all elements of the non-BJP opposition have not quite got their act together either singularly or in unison outside the House, the coming together of the Congress (without Mauvin Godinho) and the GVP (without Caitu Silva), three independent MLAs and the unattached Babush Monserrate, will at least let the opposition strike common ground on issues that the government must respond to. That is the limited, though important role this no confidence motion will play.
The nature and the discourse of the speeches will set the tone for the effectiveness of the no confidence motion. Issues which couldn’t be raised like issues concerning the iron ore transportation and hike in power tariff can surely be red flagged but the crux of this motion will be the ability to draw the government out on the manner of its governance. Since the outcome of the no confidence motion is known due to the brute majority of this government, the debate itself assumes vital significance. This is perhaps the last available opportunity for the opposition to track the journey of the ruling party which rode on a massive mandate, to that of alienation of sections which pledged unnatural support to them like the minorities. Political parties do pick up foes during its journey but the disillusionment of a friend causes more sleepless nights than a caustic attack of an enemy.
This is the narrative that has to be carried from the august House to the humble street. And that’s where the catch is. Will the same index of opposition unity, sacrifice its own political opportunity to keep the narrative against the ruling party going? Therein lies the heart of this story. We are tantalizingly close to the business end of this term of government and the pending elections. The opposition does not have a leader who draws the masses and it is yet to present the next best option, a gamut of energetic young faces who will carry the narrative of disillusionment, with hope. And this is what the BJP is banking on. The gladiator it was in 2012 is weakened but it still needs someone to combat him. Will the grandfather brigade of the Congress or the rest of the opposition do it?
Thus the vote of confidence outside the House needs to be sought on both sides. The opposition needs to work for this. The BJP’s loss is not the opposition’s automatic gain. The same people of Goa who may choose to reject the BJP, they voted for in 2012, will not embrace the opposition as a natural corollary. It is in the election battlefield that the real confidence motion will be voted upon, and for the moment the people of Goa are extremely low on that confidence.
