We have a Government in place after a long wait. We wish the new Government, which has a lot of first timers in the cabinet but under the experienced leadership of Parrikar, a complete term and wisdom to govern us so that all segments of society benefit and not just the current elected political class.
The Government formation itself was a chess game at its best, with guessing and second guessing, twists and turns galore. The BJP government is aware that given a fractured mandate and an impotent Congress party they have got another chance to rule Goa. However, the fact that their numbers went down from a simple majority to thirteen, points to the fact that the people were unhappy. They showed their displeasure by sending most of the previous cabinet including the sitting Chief Minister home.
The BJP has weathered the first storm and settled smaller regional parties to reach the magic figure, now they must work in right earnest to meet the needs of people. The problem is that these needs are varied and undefined just like the current keyword Goenkarponn.
The Congress, went into the election doing everything to lose, they even went back on their promise to field fresh faces. The fact that they won seventeen seats caught them not only by surprise but off guard. The pictures of the MLA elects lounging around in Congress House captures the dis-interest and lack of any urgency in the body language. The only statements that were issued either before the results caused anxiety to the probable partners and guided them away from the Congress camp. Statements issued after the BJP formed the Government were more fingers pointing in nature and more confusing. Clearly the Congress did not want to rule.
There could be two reasons for this attitude, one, there were just too many claimants for the top post. This meant that anyone left out would ensure that no one got the job. Two, the Congress men were sure that even if they did manage to form the government, they would have had to share some of the cabinet posts with their allies, so which of the seventeen MLA elects to leave out of the proposed cabinet. The ones left out would have been easy to wean away and break the government. So best option, stay away from Government formation.
The MGP did not meet their own expectations, but the situation was tailor- made for them and as usual they bagged the prized PWD portfolio which has been with them irrespective of the party running the Government, their pre poll bluster of wanting the CM post and their disparaging comments about the BJP who were their partners for almost five years, all forgotten.
The party that made headlines and all for the wrong reasons was the GFP. The GFP contested four seats and won three, an excellent strike rate. Of course the two candidates from North Goa were recent additions and not core GFP members. What made tongues wag was the fact that GFP who fought the elections on an anti BJP plank almost immediately turned around and supported the BJP to form the government and picked plum ministerial posts for all.
The GFP mentor and brain behind the party was initially not available, subsequently he appeared literally in the eye of the storm and explained the logic for his absolute stunner of a decision. While his detractors bayed for his resignation, they failed to realise the nature of our democracy. Once the voter completes his part and votes, for the next five years it is the elected MLA that calls the shots. Did GFP, voters elect him to be in opposition because he contested only four seats?
In his explanation Sardessai pointed to the fact that the Congress betrayed him once too often and as such he was not in a mood to give them another chance to betray him. He had a point there, any right thinking person would not align himself with the Congress, point is why did he waste his time in Delhi trying to meet Sonia, did the Congress betray him after the election?
He mentioned the fact that the State’s coffers were empty and that the only person who can get Goa out of this situation was Parrikar and the fact that BJP was at the centre. He cannot be very wrong there as time and again Parrikar has proved that he can pull rabbits out of a hat where financial management is concerned. Assuming it was a good reason to support the BJP in the interest of the State’s coffers, why not give the BJP a walkover, why waste time having an election.
The real reason we may never know, but one can speculate. Given three GFP MLAs in the House, two of whom are not on record for making anti-BJP noises, these two, would have elected anyone of themselves as the leader in the house, issued a whip that all GFP MLAs should support the BJP and anyone voting against would face disqualification. Being prudent is the better part of valour and so BJP it was. In five years if Sardessai delivers on his promises, he has already proven he can deliver as an opposition MLA. The public is known to have short memories and all will be forgiven.
The lone Independent MLA Rohan who created a record by getting elected a second time, a first for an Independent had a pre-poll tie up with the Congress, but given their dithering he felt he could better serve his constituency by crossing over. For any MLA being in opposition is hard.
How many Congressmen will desert the party and get re-elected on a BJP ticket a la Rane style and then how will the BJP treat it allies once their numbers increase is a future scenario. Till then we hope the BJP and its unlikely allies will do a good job with Governance.
(The author prefers to write rather than
chat in a balcao)
