As we herald the New Year 2022, the upcoming elections to the Legislative Assembly in Goa is also going to witness a contest that has a few firsts of its kind. Though all the parties have not chosen their candidates to contest the polls, it would be pertinent to dwell in depth as to who deserves to win, albeit who should cross the finishing line in the 40 constituencies that go to the polls. This essay is one that is based on morality and thus in the real world, all those that have better morality may not succeed because this is not about moral values alone, but about the ability of the party candidate to successfully woo voters to vote for them.
As far as morality is concerned, only those candidates who are above reproach should be voted in the 40 constituencies. Those candidates, new or from the old guard that have fulfilled or can be trusted to fulfill the wishes of the voters should be deemed fit to be elected to become the people’s representatives. Should those 10+2 candidates who switched sides to gain power, and who betrayed the mandate of the people be re-elected?
This aspect now goes to the people’s court of electoral politics. It’s the voters in these 12 constituencies who are the judges and will pass the verdict on this issue. One thing that comes to mind is, was the switching of sides an exercise in vested interests, and thus should they be re-elected? To be very precise, betraying the mandate of the people means that these 12 candidates on an absolute scale have failed to live by the electorate’s mandate and thus deserve to be consigned to political exile. The electorate should judge them strictly if what they have done has been for narrow political self-aggrandisement which went against the mandate given to them.
In like manner, should the ruling dispensation be judged for having not been true to the wishes of the people as far as imposing various so called developmental works were concerned? Here, certainly the issue of coal handling and transportation, with its damage to the environment and health aspects in the port city of Vasco deserves to be given a befitting verdict.
What about the imposition of the environment damaging three linear infra projects? Is it not that at least 80% of the people which includes students of almost all schools, primary as well as secondary and also college students who wereagainst these projects bulldozing through the Bhagwan Mahaveer Wildlife Sanctuary as well as the Mollem National Park and despite such an open opposition the ruling dispensation were heedless to the wishes of the people that the projects be scrapped?
Also on every aspect that the people have not been heeded, this is the only opportunity where the electorate are the judges and the jury and should thus pronounce their collective verdict. This Assembly election is akin to the Opinion Poll, however in totally different circumstances, because the electorate now is totally different than the electorate then. It should be borne in mind by the voters that only those candidates who are sincere, upright, dedicated, devoted and with unquestionable integrity and willing to not make empty promises, but to keep their word be elected for the next five years. Choose wisely.
