In an interesting development, three political figures made an unexpected move on Thursday. Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar and two former Panaji mayors Uday Madkaikar and Tony Rodrigues expressed their willingness to join the Congress. Gaonkar, despite a consistent opposition by the Sanguem Congress Block, has struck upon this opportune time to make a case for rehabilitation in Congress.
What is intriguing, however, is Madkaikar and Rodrigues seeking to join the Congress. Politics makes strange bedfellows, so goes the proverbial saying, but with Congress falling for the Madkaikar and Rodrigues offer, this has become a theatre of the absurd, a script that is highly deceiving and misleading. At a time when political leaders of different hues are knocking on the party doors, the willingness of Madkaikar and Rodrigues to cross swords with their long-time ally and mentor Atanasio Babush Monseratte appears suspicious and agenda-driven.
Madkaikar has suddenly disassociated himself from Babush verbally, but he doesn’t find it necessary to pull out of the CCP panel which is backed and controlled by the Panaji MLA. Madkaikar holds a petty grouse that he is sidelined by Babush from the newly formed BJP mandals. The argument completely pales out against the backdrop of the electoral challenges faced by Babush in Panaji. If the former mayor chooses to easily revolt over a Mandal issue, how is it convincing the Congress of loyalty if he is denied a ticket?
How can Ponjekars reconcile with the background of these former mayors who have been rooting strongly for Babush for almost all their political careers? Can Ponjekars trust Rodrigues’ seriousness, a man who suffered body blows for his Babush during the infamous police station assault case? With the battle lines blurry, the obvious political reasoning Panaji finds is that their MLA is trying to insulate himself by planting two of his most trusted lieutenants in the Congress camp.
There is no credence to the theory that these two political leaders, mostly confined to CCP politics, have suddenly grown fond of the Congress and are seeking to develop the party ahead of a crucial election. It’s also a pity that Congress is looking at these two with optimism instead of grooming their own cadre. Much against the talk of building party organization, the Congress has failed to capitalise on the encouraging response given to Girish Chodankar against Manohar Parrikar at the 2017 Panaji bypoll. And this is why the party is forced to bite political baits in crucial constituencies such as Panaji.
Senior party election observer P Chidambaram has flown home leaving a clear message that loyalty will be rewarded with tickets. On the ground, a contrasting picture emerges and the State leadership is welcoming dissidents, deserters and even leaders from other parties. There is every reason to believe that a concerted effort is made to set the political field to the comfort of Babush. What is surprising is that Congress has failed to read between the lines.
