Can regional formations make a comeback in Goa and replace the national parties? This is a question that is being hotly debated across the State especially since the recent Zilla Panchayat elections threw up a large number of Independents. Goa that started its post-Liberation political activity voting for regional parties has not been kind to these fronts in the past three decades. The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) are being slowly eased out of the local political scenario. The UGDP has no representative in the Assembly and the MGP has three MLAs in the 40-member assembly with two of them being brothers. MGP, ignoring burning issues, has got into the news by making statements like the need to ban bikinis on beaches, which appears was done to stay relevant to their voters. Other regional parties have come up and also sunk without leaving a trace after merging with the national parties. Political analysts are, however, adamant in saying that in case there is a political grouping and it wants to succeed then it has to necessarily be part of the political scene by taking up issues for some amount of time before it can seek votes.
Goa’s tryst with regional parties
