Goans are faced with a Hobson’s choice in the coming elections. The new political parties in Goa politics offer the electorate old wine in new bottles. Luizinho Faleiro being the latest, after years in the Congress he has moved to the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC).
The power that a politician assumes over the electorate is mind boggling because the State serves the politicians instead of the people. Besides the sanctioned pay and the perks, the State turns a blind eye to their ability to unconstitutionally influence every aspect of administrative and socio-economic life. This gives politicians the aura of power. It’s almost as if once one wins through the electoral process, something which underpins democracy, individuals transform into feudal lords. It is not surprising then there is a desire to remain politically relevant. Thus, there is no compunction to jump political parties when they feel the party is sinking.
One saw this happen during the West Bengal elections. Politicians from the TMC defected to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) thinking this Hindutva based nationalist party would win. After the BJP were trounced, the defectors flocked back.
This ease of switching political parties is garbed under the explanation that it is being done so that they can continue helping their constituency or that their current party is no longer doing justice to the State, and so on. For example, Luizinho Faleiro in his resignation letter to Sonia Gandhi wrote that the Congress in Goa was not the same as the one he had sacrificed and fought for. Collating reasons given by Goan politicians when they jump ship would make for interesting reading, especially when there are those who do it frequently.
Has Goa or its constituencies benefited from politicians shifting to other political parties? Have politicians benefited by joining another political party or by their shifting of their political stance?
Goans are in an unenviable state of limbo when it comes to electing their representatives. What kind of information about the candidate can the electorate depend on to make informed voting choices?
It seems political ideology is irrelevant. There are two reasons for this, the first is that most politicians are no longer consistent with any ideology. The second is that except for the BJP whose ideology is easily recognised – Hindutva, the other parties have adopted milder versions of this philosophy to remain relevant and to attract those sitting on the fence. In fact, unlike other parties opposing the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supported the BJP government’s abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. AAP was also ambiguous about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) when the whole of India was protesting it.
If not ideology, can corruption be the sieve to select candidates? This is quite difficult to prove. But as a rule of thumb, it is best to look for the tangible. On this issue, each constituency can also informally audit how the MLA-LAD funds have been spent. More importantly the audit should also include how and to whom contracts are being given to, even if there are tenders.
The Goa Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of the Legislative Assembly Act, 2004 and Rules and its amendments are eye popping. In no other job does an employee have the luxury of choosing their own salaries and perks. No other job contract has a section titled ‘Fund for unrecoverable advances’, Section 8 of the Act. As per this section, members must deposit Rs 200 per annum for every lakh taken as an advance, ‘(T)he amount in such fund shall be used towards meeting the unrecoverable advances under any of the provisions of this Act as and when such situation arises, in the manner prescribed’. This section seems to provide MLAs with a way to not repay advances taken by them. Anywhere else, default in payment of loans is a civil offence. However, politicians have been prescient and have thoughtfully legislated to protect themselves – only interest on the principal from the date of withdrawal will be charged as penalty till its repayment. This is taxpayer’s money and Goans should know the status of such loans taken through this Act. This is another way to measure the value elected representatives have for people’s money.
The issue is not only about the kind of information Goans should seek of candidates before the 2022 State elections. It is also about how the electorate should monitor the work of their newly elected representatives.
Some ideas have been shared for the former. In the case of the latter, there are at least three ways. The first is citizens demand that every candidate have an actionable and measurable manifesto for the constituency. The second is the formation of a monitoring committee of individuals in the constituency. The responsibility of this group is to keep a record of the work of the MLA, though this is not a government authorised body it can keep tabs, and inform the constituency, about what the MLA (and even MP) is doing for the constituency. Finally, the opposition should have shadow MLAs/MPs. These are individuals who fought the elections and lost. By having such a position, the link between this defeated candidate and the constituency is strengthened as this individual will inform the constituency of what the elected representative is doing and what can be done better. It goes without saying that the monitoring committee and the shadow MLA need to remain separate.
Democracy is not only about voting. It gives citizens the responsibility and the privilege to question those representing them throughout their tenure. Democracy works for people if people work for it.
(Samir Nazareth is an author and writes on socio-economic and environmental issues).
