AAP- Hopeful contender for the people space

 Its recent victory is proof that it is set to change the rubrics of Indian politics by trumping people’s needs and opinions above the Congress-BJP high command centric culture. Here in Goa, though the party has caught the imagination of the people, it still has to scout for credible leaders and galvanise people’s aspirations to make electoral inroads, as in Delhi.

“We are still a novice. We have a lot of hard work ahead of us. The main issue for us at the moment is to get people to join the party,” Dr. Oscar Rebello, one of the first members of AAP’s Goa unit said. 

What the party takes pride in is the fact that almost all of its members have no political background thus making them the best candidates as the people’s party. “With the sort of response we are getting, we are certain to take it places because we now have sensible responsible people coming in and not running away from politics. So far it was left to others who use money and muscle power and continue corruption. We intend to break that. If you see, none of AAP’s Goa members have political background and experience,” AAP Goa secretary and spokesperson Valmiki Naik said. 

In its campaign in Goa, the party has already begun work, and it’s from the grassroots that they intend on winning hearts and minds. Called ‘Mission Vistara’ or expansion, AAP intends to build their support by taking it to Goa’s constituencies and even the booth level to build a “structure and organization.” 

The party’s current weakness could be attributed to its lack of leaders that can connect with the common man. Journalist Kishor Naik Gaonkar says the party workers need to move beyond the city and make their presence felt at the village level. 

“AAP definitely has the ability to be a successful third party for Goa, but their only drawback is their leaders aren’t well connected to the common man. Known faces such as Swati Kerkar and Dattaram Desai, since they contested the Lok Sabha elections are likely to have a good rapport with the common man”, Gaonkar said 

Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, which was the first to take over the reins of power in post colonial Goa, after the first elections in 1963, is once again gradually expanding its base in the State. After suffering debilitating defections post 1990, with several of its leaders shifting their loyalties and reducing the party’s Assembly seats to three from simple majority, the MGP can now be looked upon as third alternative if it increases its tally in the 2017 Assembly elections. 

But the MGP needs to get out of the BJP umbrella

“It’s high time the MGP comes out of the BJP’s shadow and think more than being just an alliance partner. If people today look for a third front, then it could be the MGP, provided they go with people and not divide people on religion or caste,” BJP MLA Vishnu Wagh said. 

MGP, the party that is always looked as an alliance option by the BJP and Congress, is on a mission to recruit over one lakh members, the figures that party claims is enough to get 21to 22 seats in the 40 member State Legislative Assembly, if it decides to go alone in the 2017 elections.  The original Bahujan Party has traditionally had its base amongst non-Brahmin Hindus, a group that makes up a large section of Goan society. But in the recent past, sections of the Brahmin population have been inclined towards the party. However, party is yet to get close to the minority communities and that’s the reason that the MGP has even now failed to get its hold in Catholic dominated constituencies (mostly in South) like- Benaulim, Nuvem, Navelim, Curchorem, Cortalim, Velim, Cuncolim and few others.  On the other hand, the party has developed strong base in constituencies such as Ponda, Priol, Madkai (which has currently voted for MGP), Mayem, Sankhali, Mandrem, Pernem, Bicholim, Shiroda, Sanguem, Sanvordem, Dabolim, Mormugao, St Cruz, etc. 

“If given a chance, we are confident of giving very good government to the people of Goa. We have developed a strong hold in nearly 27 to 28 constituencies and we are confident of winning in those, all alone,” MGP senior leader and MLA Lavoo Mamledar said, admitting that party has by now not been able to strengthen itself in the minority-dominated constituencies. 

While in the recent past several BJP members joined MGP, there are talks about Independent MLAs like Rohan Khaunte and Naresh Sawal walking that path. Even some former MLAs such as Vijay Pai Khot and Prakash Velip may probably shake hands with the party.

Some years ago a group christened G7 emerged within the Congress-NCP alliance. It was essentially a power group – which some saw as a destructive force. Of late political observers have seen the emergence of G6, which claims to be a positive force, a voice of the people, an option given the waning influence and attraction of the Congress.

This group, consisting which met openly, amidst the pulsating samba rhythms of the Goan Carnival has seen elements from the Congress, the BJP and Independents uniting and promising much but not saying too much, on the  eve of the ZP polls.

BJP MLAs Michael Lobo, and Vishnu Wagh, Congress MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, Independents – Naresh Sawal and Rohan Kaunte met at Vijai Sardesai’s Fatorda Fat Carnival Blast and sent a message loud and clear that this was the beginning of the genesis of an idea to give Goa an option other than the BJP and the Congress.Reginaldo made it clear to media that his very presence at Vijai’s programme should send a message to the Congress leadership to change its style of functioning. He is said to have started consulting his constituents on whether he should be with a non-Congress and non-BJP third front. 

Reginaldo began his career under the SGF banner, defeating the Congress heavyweight Francisco Sardinha in 2007. 

The maverick Wagh is a perennial dissenter – in the Congress he was a dissenter and in the BJP he remains so. 

Vijai is a very good strategist. From those days as a frontman of the Alemao clan to today, he has moved a long way, honing his skills and fanning his network. Michael Lobo is also a master diplomat, who has outgrownCalangute strongman Joseph Sequeira, to become MLA. Naresh Sawal too managed to cut the Ranes down to size in Bicholim and win but has become one of the most vocal critics of the BJP accusing the ruling party of step-motherly treatment given to his constituency.