Goa is finally getting a full-time Governor in P S Sreedharan Pillai, and that signals an end to the joint charge held by Maharashtra Governor B S Koshyari for nearly 11 months. Pillai is set to walk in at a crucial time when the State is heading into an intense electoral battle with Assembly polls likely in February-March 2022.
Pillai, who was currently serving as governor of Mizoram since 2019 and has been a hardcore BJP loyalist, having served the party's ABVP wing during his student days, besides holding several party posts in the later phase. He walks into Goa as the 19th Governor of the State with huge expectations from the people of the State and also the political class.
The role of governors has always been a subject of debate across India because it is seen through the prism of politics. The controversies surrounding the gubernatorial post have far outweighed the glory that the office holds primarily because of the political baggage that comes along. Governors have lately been seen as agents of the governments in power or the party they represent and have played decisive roles as 'third umpires' in forming governments in States, including Goa. Lest we forget, the governor of Goa played a key role in allowing the BJP-led coalition to form the government post-2017 elections on the premise that it staked claim first, despite the fact that they were not the majority party.
However, there are exceptions. Goa has seen an outspoken Satya Pal Malik who refused to be a 'rubber stamp' despite his BJP affiliations and carved out a niche for himself among the masses. The stern indictment of the BJP government over Covid mismanagement and his critique of the government’s 'errors of judgement' set him apart.
Governors, by and large, have been largely detached from the people of the State and are known to be more engaged in their constitutional responsibilities. However, Goa has witnessed a change in trend lately. Late Mridula Sinha was involved in public issues and her engagement grew even more after she was nominated as the ambassador of ’Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi on October 2, 2014. Her successor Satya Pal Malik struck a rare connection with the people of Goa and won hearts. Bhagat Singh Koshyari took everyone by surprise by becoming the first governor to take oath in Konkani.
Pillai, who is relatively new to Goa's politics has a challenging task at hand because elections are in sight and the political environment is witnessing a churn. The Opposition has been consistently beating drums over government failures and expects the governor to take note and offer sympathy. This is where the new governor will be tested for his role as a mediator and a negotiator. Pillai would be viewed very closely on how he positions himself on Goa-centric issues, on his connection with the people of the State and ties with BJP's political opponents.
