‘Once bitten, twice shy’, goes the famous English adage. In terms of Goan politics, the Central Congress leadership has belatedly realised that the elections are round the corner for the 40 Assembly constituencies in Goa. We Goans understand well that the Congress High Command in general and Rahul Gandhi the defacto president of the Congress has learned from history and does not wish that the disgusting history of the snatching of the popular mandate, given to the Congress is not repeated yet again.
We are all kindly aware that the last time around in 2017, the Central Congress Observer Digvijay Singh allowed Manohar Parrikar to snatch away the right of the Congress to form the government last in 2017. Although there is no Manohar Parrikar to steal mandate from the Congress this time around, with the Bharatiya Janata Party firmly in the saddle at the Centre, the remorseful history could repeat, with Congress left to suck the thumb instead.
However, the appointment of Chidambaram as the Congress observer in charge of the party in Goa indicates that Rahul Gandhi has been taking personal interest to ensure that BJP does not yet again steal the mandate which actually and in reality belongs to the Congress.
Jawaharlal Nehru had once declared ‘Ajeeb hai ye Goa ke log’. The MGP with Ramakant Khalap as its leader in as early as in 1990 had subverted the cancer of defections and formed the illegitimated PDF government in 1990, with the help of opportunistic Congressmen. I don’t wish to dwell into that history but to remind Goans that in Goa, anything and everything is possible and the voters here are at sea as they are aware that they to date have no control on the actions of their MLAs after the election process is over.
Looking upfront on the 2022 Goa Assembly elections, it appears to be a thriller with the results having a wide ramification on the national politics since other State elections like in Uttar Pradesh are going to the polls simultaneously. Truly, Goan voters and candidates standing for election are strange, even to this date. The voters placed the Congress in power in the 2017 Assembly elections, sadly though barring a paltry few who can be counted on the finger tips, all jumped lock, stock and barrel into the BJP in the months and years after that.
We all know it wasn’t about ideologies or public sentiments but the personal vested interest of those elected, that saw BJP come to power in Goa. In Goa, the Aam Aadmi Party makes no bone on the issue that voting for Congress means giving the MLA to the BJP. In Goa, the voters and the candidates make strange bed-fellows. As I recalled that the voters in Goa gave the mandate to the Congress but the MLAs in unison jumped into the BJP leaving a paltry few with Digambar Kamat to hold on to the Congress fortress in Goa.
Now, the million dollar aspirational question is – Would Chidambaram, the highly experienced Congress leader cum observer be able to stem the rot experienced to date within the Congress in Goa? The ruckus made by some insecure Congressmen during the induction of former bureaucrat and former AAP State convenor Elvis Gomes speaks volumes that party hoppers and Congress ticket seekers within the Congress are narrow-minded, self-seekers wanting to promote self and family at the cost of the Congress or else why is Joaquim Alemao so concerned and disturbed when Elvis Gomes joins the Congress. All around, the 40 constituency aspirants for the Congress ticket for 2022 Assembly polls in Goa believe in ‘I, Me, Myself’ alone and no competitor must be promoted and even inducted into the Congress fold. That is their mantra.
How would Chidambaram handle these vested interests and quell the rebellious selfish Congressmen who are busy involved in self promoting against the interest of the Congress? This million dollar question must be made to linger on. Chidambaram must act fair and square and fully keep control of the rebellion by the Trojan Horses within the Congress family.
In Goa, we must understand that individual charisma of Atanasio Monserrate for example in Panjim would be insurmountable for the opponents to overcome. Monserrate also controls the Corporation of the City of Panaji. Thus with an electorate of around 25,000, voters, individual connection of candidates with his voters play a greater role than the party itself. Digambar Kamat, we all know has won on his individual connect with the voters.
This individual connect with voters would again play a significant role. Thus, it is no secret, Monserrate, Michael Lobo, Sawant, Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and Mauvin Godinho are confident of their victories. These leaders also have their individual charisma extended to other neighboring constituencies wherein their ‘Yes men’ also could be elected as 25,000 voters aren’t difficult to shepherd, if you have nursed your flock well during the last term.
We must know well as to how COVID-19 has helped some aspirants to garner electoral advantage and sympathy. Much before the bugle is sounded to the 2022 Assembly elections voters in Goa are already aligning them to aspirants or the political parties they fancy. We all are waiting for bugle to be sounded for the electoral battle.
(The writer is a retired University Professor and an Environmental Activist.)
