GUILHERME ALMEIDA
MARGAO: Luizinho Faleiro takes pride in saying that his Borda residence was once the centre of the movement to demand rights and privileges for the State’s OBCs, now comprising of the State’s Scheduled Tribes. That was a time when he had just made forays into politics in the early 80’s. And now, he must have gained rich experience working with the tribals of the North East during his half a decade stint as the in-charge.
But, as Luizinho Faleiro braces up to formally take over the reigns of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) on Tuesday, he faces a different ball game altogether – to win back the State Scheduled Tribes and the Bahujan Samaj, especially from the majority community, which has turned away from the Congress in the recent past to align with the BJP.
In fact, the writing on the wall is clear for the new GPCC chief as he will have to seriously get down to business of identifying and promoting the ST and Bahujan Samaj leadership if he hopes to consolidate the Congress and position itself to face the 2017 Assembly polls. No doubt, the Congress has a ST MLA in Pandurang Madkaikar, the Legislator representing Cumbarjua in Tiswadi taluka. The Congress party, however, is now bereft of leaders who can claim they truly represent the Scheduled Tribes, especially from the Hindu community.
Right from Ponda taluka to Sanguem, Quepem or Canacona – the talukas having a large presence of the Scheduled Tribes – the Congress has no leader worth its name, who is capable enough to keep the party flag flying high. The leadership vacuum, especially amongst the Scheduled Tribes, assumes significance as it is widely expected that the STs will enjoy political reservations in at least 4-5 seats in the next Assembly election due in 2017.
Statistics reveal that the Congress has fared badly in the ST concentrated Assembly constituencies in South Goa in the recent elections. In fact, barring Quepem, the political journey has not been a smooth affair for the Congress in constituencies such as Canacona, Sanguem and Sanvordem or for that matter in the segments in Ponda.
That the Congress tried to rope in a defeated Independent candidate to shore up its prospects in the ST dominant Sanguem constituency in the recent Lok Sabha poll indicates the leadership vacuum faced by the party.
Former minister and tribal leader, Prakash Velip said the Congress is certainly facing a leadership vacuum in the Hindu ST areas of South Goa, which has huge concentration of the tribal communities. He linked the prevailing situation to the lack of efforts from Congress to fulfill the aspirations of the ST community. “The Congress government had to face a host of agitations during its tenure for not fulfilling the Constitutional obligations towards the tribal community. It’s indeed time for the Congress to do introspection and soul searching why they have failed to promote the ST leadership within the party,” Velip said.
Faleiro, sources said, knows very well that he is taking over the party reigns when the Bahujan Samaj and the Scheduled Tribes from the majority community, have moved away from the Congress. His close aides said Faleiro is expected to outline the road map for the revival of the Congress in the State and the Hindu Bahujan Samaj, including the Scheduled Tribes will be certainly on his political agenda.
