The Zilla Panchayat election is undoubtedly a decisive victory for the Bharatiya Janata Party candidates. However, the party leaders cannot use this triumph to draw unnecessary mileage and conclude that it’s a vote of confidence for the government. Pramod Sawant believes that victory is a fruit of electoral trust in him. All said and done, due credit must be given to the BJP cadre and grass-root workers and the smart politicking on the ground that led to an overwhelming win. The disclaimer is that Zilla victory is a reflection of how the voter would respond at the assembly elections.
Yes, the Zilla Panchayat victory was a semi-final, and there’s no denying that. But like in any tournament, a semi-final performance in politics cannot guarantee a win in the final. The only difference is, in politics, a prior rout allows the opposition to introspect, regroup, change strategies and come back stronger. BJP rides high for now, but indications are that the leadership would look to further fine-tune the chinks in its armoury before taking on the higher battleground. Congress continues to sink deeper into crisis after every election.
On the flip side, the main opposition Congress has flattered to deceive and needs to fix responsibility and explain the failure. The crushing defeat cannot be brushed aside lightly. Leaders at the forefront and who took ownership of this fight need to answer and cannot be allowed to take elections as their fiefdoms. Failures are known to be the stepping stones to success, provided there is a serious effort put in. Mediocre and opportunistic politics have no place in the current scheme of things, especially when political blunders are being committed for selfish gains, overriding party interests. Why is not a single Congress leader standing up and breaking up the math behind this poll? Where have the party heads gone who were beating drums of victory on the eve of results?
Much against the backdrop of Congress charge against the State Election Commission that there is no awareness created, it was amply clear that a high voter turnout would work to the advantage of the Opposition. With the fear of Covid still in the air, there was an extra effort that was needed to mobilize voters. The low percentage of 55 per cent in the South and 58 per cent in the North meant that the Opposition lost the advantage. The sizeable percentage of votes bagged by the BJP candidates makes it amply clear that the BJP voters made their vote count, while Congress leaders moved around constituencies feeling the pulse of the people.
The votes polled by the Congress in constituencies of Morjim, Colvale, Socorro, Penha da Franca, Sanvordem and a few other places cut a sorry figure and indicates that the party focused on presence rather than the contest. The Zilla elections may have dealt a cruel blow on the Opposition parties, but it has opened up new vistas for Aam Aadmi Party and Independent candidates who stood tall beating the Opposition hands down.
