The baker presses his horn awaking people to buy their pao. People start gathering at Souza Bakery for hot bread, a practice of every Madgaonkar and nearby, Vaz Traders is sorting the morning newspapers for dispatch while an adjacent Goa Dairy booth is arranging milk cartoons for sale.
The buzz is polls. Who to vote for, who not to vote, how good or bad is Digambar’s Golden Margao Panel, is Fatorda Forward really forward, will the BJP triumph this time after all its candidates lost in 2010 and if really BJP has a ‘B Team’ to break votes.
“The priest at the first mass at Borda chapel made it clear to vote a Catholic face and to vote out the communal elements diving us. Its clear what he meant and definitely gave some direction in the decision making process,” explains Lawrence Pereira just back from mass.
While on the streets the battery of cops and security personnel arrive and the government officials are ready for the 7.45 am mock poll. The plastic chairs and tables and giant umbrellas are laid out along the Modsai junction and near Holy Spirit church and election agents are stationed with the electoral list of voters and working out a suttle campaign.
We’re assisting our voters and I am will be here at the booth at all times to see that people are ushered in the right direction and cast a vote and in a way to remind them I am in fray explains Ramdas Hazare who’s coordinating on the phone pick up and drop of senior citizens for voting while he greets people with a smile and reminds them of his symbol.
Clad in denims sporting aviator glasses Vijai Sardessai has hit the streets, so has Damu Naik in his formals and also Digambar Kamat is starting movement in Margao. Also in fray for polls is the two time Chairperon Arthur D’Silva in his different shirts of Chinese collars and flashy Mercedes convertible has also arrived in ward 22.
At Multipurpose is Tito Cardozo and his father and three-time MLA Alex Mama Cardozo in two different groups smiling at voters and discussing mild politics. The sun rises and tempers soar. The afternoon gets hotter and the nerves are cracking.
Raju Nayak near Junta Quarters, Pajifond is accused of distributing cash, Digambar and Arthur have a clash of words, Damu is driving into areas where Vijai is questioning the system, councilor candidates are sneaking into polling booths to have a last word with voters in the queue, boys on Moti Dongor are riding on their two- wheelers to collect any goodies coming their way while communities argue on who to vote for.
“Small stories coming in of some glass being broken, small clashes amongst politicians and cops trying to man the crowds of people at BDO office, Comba and Multipurpose School, Borda. While some war-of-words in Chandrawaddo. But otherwise it’s a nice election with a lot of buzz and this is a good experience for me,” explains a home guard on duty at the new collectorate and listening to his walkie-talkie. He urges us not to name him since he doesn’t know the repercussions.
The last half an hour gets more hectic. Its 4.30 pm. The foot soldiers are combing wards to find non-voters. People are being to come and vote in Agalli, people who cant find their epic card or the voters slip given to them is trying to find their serial number and part number to go vote with an id card. The crowds are dispersing. Enquiries are coming in as to what will wine shops and bars open post polls.
The ballots are being sealed, the Bal Rath buses are plying election duty government officials. Margao is now alive in groups and cliques. People don’t know which way the vote has swung and evaluation meetings begin. The commercial capital once in 4 years wakes up on the Sabath Day to cast a vote. The selfies of indelible ink on finger begin to appear on social media. The election is new talk since FC Goa and Indian cricket has disappointed.
