With elections around the corner, there have been strong political movements in the State with national leaders of political parties all descending into Goa. While the local leaders are stepping up the ante in the political arena, in order to display a show of strength, many of them rely on the support of elected representatives at the panchayat or municipal level.
Against that backdrop and in the run up for the assembly elections that has seen political parties tussle in a game of one-upmanship, the focus of local government bodies has also shifted.
Now the focus is on which political leader is backing the ruling group of elected representatives of the respective panchayat or municipal body.
In the last six months or so, there have been plenty of steps taken by such groups that include moving a no-confidence motion against the sarpanch and deputy. The recent municipal elections, albeit not contested on party lines, also saw political heavyweight ensure that their pick is the mayor or chairperson. In many cases, the choice of vice-chairperson is also strategic, ensuring that mini factions in the ruling group have been rewarded with a high position.
“Nothing is permanent in politics and that is why even today, there are still efforts to unsettle the ruling group at these local bodies are also seen as a way of delivering a setback to a political party or group. The person who would campaign for one leader could be with the rival group tomorrow. It usually comes down to how much weightage will be given to this elected representative in the future,” said Ashwesha Dessai, from Cuncolim who has a MA in political science.
“Assembly elections are bonanza time for panchas and councillors as the atmosphere is like that of an IPL auction. Every prospective candidate fishes for the most influential panch/councillor. Sometimes a group of them form a consortium and collectively offer their services to a candidate subject to their leader being made sarpanch or municipality chairperson. Such practice is common. Nothing new about it,” said Advocate Radharao Gracias, former MLA and astute political observer.
Other veterans in Goa’s political landscape concur with Gracias on the point that this cycle takes place before every Assembly election. However, one such expert said that with the various new national and regional parties trying to set up their base in the State, the stock in these grassroots level leaders has increased.
“That’s the reason why in the last couple of months we have seen various political parties announce that numerous elected representatives have now joined them. There are a lot of groups and the demand for such small-time leaders has also risen. It has a lot to do with the image to show that this party has so much influence in this panchayat or municipality and how much of the votes these persons can deliver on the day of the elections,” said Riswan Usman, a minority leader from Margao.
Other experts also point out the domino effect such moves have. The bigger political leader, who wants to contest the elections also, has an agenda by putting efforts into swaying the smaller elected representatives who at the moment are confined to the panchayat or municipal level. These political leaders could also indulge in such activities to suppress the ambition of a sarpanch or municipal president who wishes to contest the election as well and by getting other panchas or councillors to move a no-confidence motion; they try to cut the wings metaphorically of these sarpanchas/civic chairperson who could upset the equation at the assembly level, if they decide to contest the elections.
“Elected members of local bodies are used to show strength for the purpose of getting party tickets. Secondly our constituencies being small, the elected may not matter much but it is a matter of public optics. They are used to getting some small works done to keep people happy like giving of house numbers, repair licences, etc. They could be of help to trouble the opponents as well,” added advocate Cleofato Almeida Coutinho, political analyst and constitutional expert.
Incidentally, those who were former elected representatives are also thrown in the mix, be it in their attempts to break a ruling group at the panchayat/municipal level or joining a political group even though they may not have that same sway with the public as they used to.
“Former mayor, sarpanch, panch, councillor may not be in active touch as compared to current but each has a sphere of influence, though limited. But, it creates positive perceptions about contesting candidates. Also remember that in ward elections, just one candidate gets elected and the larger chunk gets defeated. Many times combined strength of defeated candidates in local body election surpasses that of elected,” said Prabhakhar Timble, former State Election Commissioner.
Timble, who is an educationist and columnist, also shared his opinion on the larger picture when it came to recent political developments and the municipal and panchayat level.
“MLAs and aspiring State level politicians are known to put up their candidates for panchayat and Municipal elections and extend monetary support. It’s natural as the grassroots politicians become the foot soldiers for campaign during State assembly elections. With too many candidates in fray at local body elections, MLAs land up in providing financial support to all and finally identify with the elected pancha or councillor. Exceptions to this are few,” said Timble.
As the tug-of-war for assembly elections begin, signs of instability in panchayats and municipal councils also simmer as rival candidates vie to get control over these bodies. Sporting Panchas and councillors, current and former along with contesting candidates contributes to the picture of likely winnability which could make an aspirant, the favourite for a party ticket. If the grassroots man is taken on board, the voter turnout is better from respective locations,” Timble added.
According to BJP leaders, they claim that their vote share is intact given their victories in the recently concluded municipal and zilla panchayat (ZP) elections. However, in places where they have lost, attempts are being made to ensure that they are not similar results at the Assembly level.
Take for instance, the ZP result in St Cruz constituency, which was won by Shiny de Oliveira who was backed by Congress. This along with the ZP defeat in Nuvem constituency was seen as a massive win for Congress as these are BJP constituencies at the Assembly level. It was thus no surprise that ex-Sarpanch of Taleigao panchayat, Agnelo Da Cunha resigned from that post and plans to contest the St Cruz Assembly seat. Da Cunha is backed by Panjim and Taleigao BJP MLAs, Atanasio Monserrate and Jennifer Monserrate respectively, while the sitting St Cruz MLA Tony Fernandes is also part of the Monserrate group.
Elsewhere in neighbouring St Andre constituency, the Siridao panchayat has become a hotbed for political activity. Not only was the former Sarpanch recently ousted amidst high drama that saw the panchayat meeting take place outside the locked panchayat hall, the deputy sarpanch was also recently ousted in another no-confidence motion. It appears to be a game of musical chairs as some panch members from the two opposing groups have shifted sides in the last few months and it remains to be seen which group wrests control of the panchayat before the elections. Backing these groups are St Andre BJP MLA Francisco Silveira as well as Goa Forward Party (GFP) and Congress while regional players have also made it clear that they too would be contesting the Assembly elections.
Also in St Andre, Xavier Gracias was recently elected as the sarpanch of St Lawrence, Agassaim and this move was celebrated by Silveira.
Local political leaders also like to term results of municipal and panchayat as a ‘semi-final before the elections. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s BJP backed panel suffered a blow at the Sanquelim municipal elections that was won by the panel backed by Congress leader Dharmesh Saglani.
Cuncolim Municipality is controlled by Congress under the leadership of Congress Leader Joaquim Alemao and his son Yuri Alemao, despite the constituency being represented by BJP MLA Clafasio Dias.
Margao Municipality still holds the control of Fatorda Forward-Margao Model which is an alliance between Fatorda GFP MLA Vijai Sardesai and Margao Congress MLA Digambar Kamat.
The City of the Corporation of Panaji (CCP) is dominated by the panel backed by the Panjim MLA and BJP led by Mayor Rohit Monserrate.
The Mapusa Municipal Council on the other hand has also seen a lot of twists and turns. There was a tie post the municipal elections between the Mhapsekarancho Ekvott and BJP backed candidates. Thereafter, some councillors switched sides, including present Chairperson Shubani Vaigankar and helped BJP win the majority. However, recently, two of these councillors Tarak Arolkar and Vikas Arolkar resigned from the primary membership of the party and joined Congress. Their wards are part of the Aldona Assembly constituency and these two councillors blamed the Aldona BJP MLA Glen Ticlo for non-cooperation. BJP still has the majority here.
BJP also rules the Mormugao Municipal council as well. Damodar Kaskar, staunch supporter of Urban Development Minister and Mormugao BJP MLA Milind Naik is the chairperson while Shradha Mahale Shetye, a supporter of Vasco BJP MLA Carlos Almeida is the Deputy Chairperson.
Status quo may have remained there but at the Mormugao’s taluka panchayat level, there have been changes.
Recently in October, a no-confidence motion was passed by nine panch members against Sarpanch Ramakant Borkar who was also from the camp of BJP minister and Dabolim MLA Mauvin Godinho. In his place Girish Pillai, another BJP supporter was elected as Sarpanch. Incidentally, both Pillai and Borkar are known to have aspirations to contest the Assembly elections but it remains to be seen if that does materialise.
In Cansaulim, Ferwin Saldanha became the Sarpanch following the no confidence motion that was moved against Jose Marie Furtado in July.
One of their panch members said that although the panchayat is ‘independent’, Godinho has helped them in quickly processing files related to development works.
In Salcete, a few MLAs from the taluka still hold control over the panchayats while the remaining panchayats are neutral. A month ago the Rachol panchayat witnessed a no-confidence motion and thereafter Sarpanch Fatima Cardozo was voted out. Besides, Sarpanch Seah Varak and Deputy Herculean Niasso were voted out of office of the Davorlim panchayat by 6-0 votes in July, 2021. However, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao has lost the hold of Colva panchayat in recent times but Cavelossim and other few panchayats have still remained behind Churchill. Raia panchayat is ruled by the Sarpanch who has strong backing from the BJP cadre.
Bardez and Pernem talukas witnessed a number of resignations from sarpanchas, deputy sarpanchas while no confidence motions were also moved. A no confidence motion was moved against Sarpanch of Salvador de Mundo Sandeep Salgaonkar and Deputy Reena Fernandes by five panch members however, before the no confidence motion could pass, both had cited their resignations. The second panchayat was Socorro where no confidence was moved against sarpanch Sandeep Vazarkar and Deputy Deepali Satardekar by six panch members. The moving of this motion as well as the delay in passing it led to a heated debate between Porvorim Independent MLA Rohan Khaunte and the ruling BJP party.
Elsewhere in Aldona, panch members had moved a no confidence motion in July against deputy Sarpanch Shukradini Pole.
Other panchayats in Bardez which saw resignation from Sarpanchas included Pirna, Guirim, Nadora and Aldona.
In Pernem, no confidence motions were moved in panchayats like Corgao where the Sarpanch Swati Gawandi was ousted at office. Sources say the Pernem MLA and Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar had a direct role to play. There were elections for sarpanch at the Mandrem and Morjim panchayats recently too.
In Ponda, all eyes are on who will gain or keep control of the Ponda Municipal Council (PMC).
At present, the councillors affiliated to GFP and MGP are united in fighting against the BJP’s efforts to gain power of PMC. It may be recalled that three councillors, who were backed by Congress, had joined BJP. These included Ritesh Naik, son of Ponda Congress MLA Ravi Naik, Anand Naik and William Aguiar. This had led to speculation that Ritesh would get the chairperson post or the BJP ticket from Ponda or Marcaim constituency. However, Ritesh’s attempts to become the PMC Chairperson were unsuccessful as the opposition councillors backed by MGP and GFP remained united and Shantaram Colvekar became the Chairperson. This was seen as a setback to BJP given that Shantaram was their Ponda block president. Before Shantaram was the Chairperson, MGP-backed councillor Pradeep Naik, BJP-backed councillor Vishwanath Dalvi and GFP backed Venkatesh Naik have been chairpersons.
In the month of October, BJP, eying the chairperson post, moved a no confidence motion via their councillors against Shantaram but that fizzled out as one of the councillors who had signed the motion did not show up for the panchayat meeting. Similarly, GFP and MGP councillors had tried to bring a no confidence motion against the BJP-backed vice chairperson, Virendra Dhavlikar but here too, this move fizzled out as one councillor did not turn up for the crucial panchayat meeting.
All in all, what happens at a panchayat or municipality in one taluka, serves a template at the political machinery at play across the State and with the polls taking place in early 2022, plenty more changes are expected at these local governing bodies.
On a concluding note, a political observer pointed out that the voters won’t be sidelined in these political games, at least until the elections are completed, as their value for political parties will be judged on how they help these parties for the elections and that it could set a path for their respective future political careers as well.
