l Do you think politics governs every aspect of our life? If yes, why don’t you participate
in it?
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l If not, you will allow other people to decide
l Can you imagine that some parties are fighting to lose because their victory lies in their defeat?
The Assembly elections should be a festival of the people
The forthcoming Assembly elections should be a festival of the people. And it is a festival of the people because politics governs every aspect of our life. It will decide the future of our land and the future of our children. If you the people do not participate in this festival, you will allow other people to decide.
We often hear that politics is not meant for us, or that there are no good people in politics or that politics is not for us. In reality, politics is our duty and it is the duty of good people who think about the land and the good of its people to participate. So, your participation is the key.
When people in Goa participate to contribute to politics and government, Goa will be better governed. For instance, you need to ensure that the people who are elected stay together and do not defect and cross over to parties with money power
The trend that we saw in 2017 and again midway through the term of this government. People threw the anti-defection law out of the window. Some of them resigned from the Congress, contested on the BJP tickets, got votes yet again, which means that their people now voted for their new party. A complete mockery of elections was witnessed when the person who won on the Congress ticket Subhash Shirodkar resigned to contest on a BJP ticket and the person who came second on the BJP ticket Mahadev Naik resigned from the party to contest on a Congress ticket. And now Naik is looking to contest again on an AAP ticket. Should this fooling of the people be allowed?
Then there are the vote splitters. They will come and split the votes and help the other party to win. These parties and people are fighting to lose because their victory lies in their defeat. These people will be happy to lose. These vote cutters are traders and traitors you will know who they are very soon
Meanwhile, Congress’ own leaders are saying the Congress leadership consists of vote splitters who are helping the BJP
Their own senior MLA says that the party president is working towards helping the BJP. Speaking to Herald, Curtorim MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco said, Girish Chodankar is helping the BJP. The party is in his hands and he is using his hands to strengthen the BJP. I have no hesitation in saying that.”
Meanwhile B parties in the system are also playing the same role by contesting with the sole objective of splitting votes and helping a big party win.
Reginaldo also points out another very sad and harmful effect of the system – criminality in politics.
The Curtorim MLA says, “Our politics has to be free from criminals and those with criminal antecedents. After all, this is the People’s Court. People with criminal antecedents cannot present themselves in the people’s court”
All these elements can be kept away only if all of us participate. Hold each other’s hands. Lead the way. This can only be done together. A beginning has been made
Herald thanks and congratulates the people of Goa who want change
In response to our call, asking people to be a part of the change and the process to shortlist and select good people’s candidates, we were overwhelmed with the number of emails and other messages welcoming the idea and most importantly pledging to be a part of this movement.
This kind of a response can only mean one thing. That the whole of Goa wants change. Change in the way elections can be conducted. And Goa is proud of such people.
One important aspect of this change is to know that elections can be won without money
Yes. Everyone thought and perhaps still thinks that elections are all about money power. That crores and crores are needed to get votes and win an election. But show them that a true people’s election can be easily won without money. Can we ever forget the simplicity of olden days, when election participation meant members of the public contributing chairs and a sound system, tea, snacks and food, their own cars or scooters for distribution of leaflets and so on? The beauty of a people’s election can still be experienced and treasured, in the manner our forefathers did.
Everything is in your hands. Change is in your hands. Once again this has to be about your politics of change, if you want to retain decision making for your land and the soil of your past generations, in your hands, for the future of your next generation.
