Is this BJP’s Congress-mukt plan, or a move to get an absolute majority? Goa’s political narrative gets a new twist where people’s mandate has not been respected. In one swift action, 10 MLAs of the Congress, a two-third group, broke away from the party to join the BJP taking the party strength to 27.
The BJP has effectively killed three birds in one stone. While it managed to muster an absolute majority through the back door, it has also literally silenced the Opposition by reducing it to five. And thirdly, the dependency on allies has been done away with.
Call it bizarre or selfish politics, the development puts to rest a few myths in politics. Firstly, it proves that there was nothing called as coalition dharma which Goa Forward supremo Vijai Sardesai was swearing by all the time. Secondly, this only goes to shows that political gains override everything else, no matter what MLAs promise. Thirdly, it re-establishes the fact that in politics there are no permanent friends or enemies. Politicos may be former party colleagues and travel to UK to watch an India-Pakistan match together, but it doesn’t mean that friendship and solidarity is extended on the political turf. Fourthly, political ideology is mainly a means to polarise the electorate, and the voter has virtually no role once the precious vote is cast. Fifth, there is no place for legacies in politics. The much talked about the Manohar Parrikar’s legacy is given a silent burial with the BJP embracing the very man who stood against it.
If the bypoll was a mandate for stability of the government, the BJP has now taken it to an all-new level. It will be interesting to see how politicos play out this new script as there will have to be a massive reconciliation of workers of both parties on the ground. The focus will be on Vijai and his men as their honeymoon with the BJP comes to an end. This development effectively signals the end of the road for the three Goa Forward MLAs and the Independents who were supporting the government. It remains to be seen how they position themselves after being stumped by the Congress. Will Goemkarponn assume a different definition with a new set of legislators at the helm, and where does the Goemkar stand in the scheme of things? Chief Minister Pramod Sawant says this arrangement is in the interest of Goans. Does this mean the earlier dispensation was anti-Goemkar?
The Goa Forward may be checkmated by the breakaway Congress group, but the greed for power is so obvious that the Congress Legislature Party chief himself is leading a two-third faction into the BJP. Politicos have embraced power for short-term gains without sparing a thought for their long-term careers. Some emerging from Congress strongholds have overlooked the fact that they may not be rewarded with a BJP ticket in the next election.
Panaji MLA Atansaio Monserrate’s assertion that he needs to fulfill the promises he made to the people of his constituency is hollow. If he was not confident of delivering, why did Babush contest on the Congress ticket in the first place? Why was there no pre-condition at the time of election?
From taking Goa forward, development and the ongoing Congress leadership crisis at the Centre, the reasons may be many. In the end, it all boils down to a complete betrayal of people’s trust. The very Congressmen who are all smiles and happily shaking hands with the BJP were the ones fighting pitched battles against the government until recently. It’s pure politics of disgrace.
