The result of the Panjim assembly by-poll was not entirely unexpected. The hope that the main opposition candidate Surendra Furtado of the Congress party, would give the ruling BJP candidate a tough fight, following the resounding victory by the AAP in Delhi, crushing the BJP in its own citadel, turned out to be an illusion. Obviously, Furtado was labouring under a huge handicap. His party lacked a strong organisation in the city. Worse, it is reported that a ‘strongman’ within the party virtually sabotaged his chances by playing traitor, going even to the extent of openly supporting the rival party candidate.
If the Congress party under the leadership of Luisinho Faleiro wants to revive itself after its debacle in the 2012 assembly elections, it first needs to cleanse the rot within and initiate strict disciplinary action against the fifth columnists, even resorting to expelling them from the party. Revival will come after deep soul-searching and cleansing, however painful that may be in the short term. While Furtado appears to have been back-stabbed by some within his own party, one cannot discount the role played by the former MLA of Panjim and present Union Defence Minister, Manohar Parrikar in facilitating the win. He spent several days every week camping in the city, leaving his post at Delhi for several days to canvass for his protege, even going from door to door to ask for votes.
Panjim once a picturesque city known for its pristine beauty is now a city in decline and the blame must be laid squarely at Manohar Parrikar’s door. He was given a long innings by the electorate and he did virtually nothing. Today, Panjim is struggling to cope with a host of problems: garbage woes, increasing traffic congestion which is a daily recurring nightmare, filthy and polluted nullah at St. Inez creek, over-crowded municipal market etc. Manohar Parrikar had been repeatedly promising to solve all these problems, but these turned out to be merely empty promises. It is therefore surprising that the people of Panjim have been swayed by his promises once again to vote for his protege and BJP candidate.
His assurances that the BJP will deliver on his promises in the two years left for the term of the current assembly, what he did not fulfill in twenty long years should have raised many an eyebrow. We have heard of the adage, You can fool most of the people for sometime and some people all the time, but not most of the people all the time’. Panjim seems to be a solitary exception. In the assembly by-poll, they have displayed rank credulity that stretches the imagination by falling for former CM Manohar Parrikar’s empty assurances, once again.
