Experts may continue to split hairs or interpret the verdict, as they please. But the reality is that Babush (Atanasio Monserrate) panel has swept 25 of the 30 seats to the Panaji Municipal Corporation. He knows the voter better than the experts. For him, as also for Viswajeet, the party is irrelevant.
Regular columnist Soter de Sousa says “This is the simple truth I have been trying to tell Goans. He is not a pappu as projected by the scheming Hindutva lobby. Babush may be the devil but people also know that their choice is stuck between aspiring devils. A known devil is far safer than unknown devils. The mask of Friends of Good Governance in 2012 and India Against Corruption in 2014 has reinforced this truth”.
Gerald Fernandes an activist, adds Babush understands very well the dictum “Know your folks. Know your job”. He has proved his theorem.
My tryst with Babush began in early 2002 before the Assembly elections when news emerged that he wished to contest. I approached him at his Miramar Office. He emerged through a side door carrying a Siamese cat. He appeared fit and was leaner and shorter than I thought he would be. He was civil, polite and brief. He was keen to contest and stated that he had sought the Congress ticket. But that he would contest ticket, or no ticket. I suggested he contest on UGDP and conveyed to him that the UGDP was working for seat adjustment with the other regional party the MGP. In that case, he said he would prefer MGP.
Two or three days later we met the MGP Office bearers and I recommended him as a strong candidate for Taleigao, inclined to contest on MGP ticket. On the name being mentioned, Shashikala Kakodkar shot back “Tosle amkam nakat, tumi dovorat taka”. I was not displeased. Babush contested on UGDP ticket and won. Months later I met Shashikala after she and I had both lost and exclaimed “Tosloch jikhlo nhoi Tai”. She could not get it, until I reminded her. She shrugged.
Within a short time of his victory, Babush became a hit as everyone commented that Taleigao was shining. Indeed it was, with well done broad roads, sidewalks and attention to other essentials. Taleigao too was reverted back as Village Panchayat, as promised before elections. I wondered how the works in his constituency were so neat. He explained “I call every contractor after the work order is issued. He is told in no uncertain terms that works must be executed in every detail as per the order and that he need not pay commission to anyone. Not even to me. The contractor thus, has no reason to do shoddy work”.
I usually travelled to Taleigao via Santa Cruz. The long narrow road along the bund was always potholed and difficult and I pointed out to Babush that it is a pretty bad approach and he should repair it too. “No” said he “If I do anything she (Victoria Fernandes) will pounce on me for interfering in her area and accuse me of eyeing her constituency. So, let it be. Besides anyone travelling on that road to Taleigao will see the difference between the two constituencies, is it not?” I could not beat that logic.
And then began a period of defections and counter defections. I set with him to discuss the issue. Here in summary is what Babush said “Doutor, Political ideology is for the likes of you. I am not concerned with such things. People come to me because I can do their work and will continue to come so long as I can. I deliver only if I am in government and not by sitting in the opposition. The general public is not concerned with high sounding principles. You deliver or are kicked out”.
A decade and a half has passed since that talk. And in this period of time Babush has moved on. He has won from three entirely different constituencies which no other candidate has done. He has swept the elections to the corporation. And mind you, it is not some backwoods constituency from the hinterland. He commands the capital city of the State.
Democracy is mostly about winning elections and Babush knows it. He may not have academic qualifications but has native intelligence. No high pitched publicity, no birthday celebrations. The law of aerodynamics says that the bumble bee cannot fly but the bumble bee flies, nevertheless. It has not read the law. Babush is like the bumble bee. He wins because he does not bother with what experts say. And Babush is like a cricket player too. He exploits the conditions and bats or bowls to win, as India did in the recent Test series. He does not complain about the pitch, as others do. Why blame the pitch? The voter is like the pitch. Bowl in the right spots and it responds! And Babush knows the right spots. He really does.
Forget Panjim and move to Navelim where the only fearless public face of the Congress was in the contest. But Pratima Coutinho loses. I had publicly cautioned her not to contest ZP elections, as it was evident that her candidature would be internally sabotaged. And it has happened. She ought to know that a young upstart no matter how good a Congress worker must not appear to eye the seat of a seasoned Congress leader, because he is aging. The ticket in Congress culture goes to the progeny of the leader. Any move even remotely looking like an attempt, to jump the queue is thwarted. You can see it every day, everywhere. She seems to have become wiser, after the event. Hopefully, the wisdom will last.
(Radharao F Gracias is a senior Trial Court Advocate, a former Independent MLA and a political activist)
