PANJIM: The inevitable has happened. The BJP’s self-proclaimed urban invincibility has proven to be a myth, as deep set mal-governance allowed it to get candidates backed by them win the maximum number of seats in barely 6 out of 11 councils. By the end of the day it managed to do deals with independents to wrest the Chairpersons’ positions in Cuncolim and Canacona, two councils where the people have clearly voted against the ruling party in power.
Quite obviously, the BJP did win six councils, dominating Mapusa and Mormugao, Curchorem and Sanguem, Pernem and Bicholim, their strongholds. But there were messages in these victories too. Strong local leaders won by bucking the anti-incumbency drift and not because of the BJP. For instance, Francis D’Souza has had to face upheavals and opposition from within and yet won 16 out of 20 in Mapusa with no Congress backed wining candidate. In Curchorem, it was a Nilesh Cabral solo show. In Sanguem, Subhash Phaldesai did an encore, while in Pernem both the Chief Minister and MLA Rajendra Arelkar can claim credit for an 8-2 sweep. In Mormugao, Milind Naik and Carlos Almeida broke away from the boys club of Nana Bandekar and notched up resounding victories. Nine of Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida’s candidates and six of Power Minister and Mormugao MLA’s Milind Naik won in a 25 seat race, leaving their erstwhile godfather and kingmaker Nana Bandekar with just two seats plus three more by his current protégé of the Congress Sankalp Amonkar.
However, if these victories are seen as an affirmation for the BJP’s success, then it will only have to blame itself for its short sightedness. If there was one telling message that the people have arisen and awakened once again to take control, it was in Margao. In what is the cover story of these civic polls, Fatorda Forward, a people’s front of MLA Vijai Sardesai did a debut whitewash, winning all 11 wards in the Fatorda constituency area out of a total of 25 MMC wards, riding on the back of fresh faces. And the same logic worked in Margao where the “baba”, Digambar Kamat’s candidates won six seats but old faces were rejected.
But the take away from these results were multiple. While Margao began its innings with people power, some of the old warhorse Congress MLAs swept their constituencies. This can be attributed to a combination of extreme frustration at the BJP and the basic support absolutely personal base of these MLAs – Vishwajeet Rane in Valpoi, Babu Kavlekar in Quepem, romped home. In Valpoi BJP had the consolation of opening its account with two seats, while in Quepem it drew a blank. To a lesser extent, Joaquim Alemao won 4 out of 12 seats with independents getting the maximum of 6. The lesson from here is that that people frustrated with the BJP are looking at alternatives but if there isn’t a very strong opposition force, the independents may benefit. In Cuncolim this is what happened and in another twist the BJP managed to woo the independents looking for power and to wrest power.
Canacona showed the BJP’s base slipping in what was once its stronghold and a sign of how the party is dividing itself to its detriment. Former BJP MLA Vijai Pai Khot was the recipient of the anti-ruling party sentiment symbolized by local MLA and minister Ramesh Tawadkar. A 5-5 tie would have turned into an acute embarrassment if the ruling party hadn’t used its clout to ensure it rules in Canacona. But this wasn’t victory. It was management.
At the end of the day, the BJP spin doctors will gloat over this score. 11 councils, BJP to rule in 8. But the true story of these elections is of people looking for alternatives. These are first signs of warning for the BJP.
