The word “gut” in the title of this article is deliberate. The grandstanding before the budget session of the assembly between the notorious and not so notorious boys of Goan politics was nothing but an instinctive hodgepodge of varied political interests and liabilities. It was their gut feeling “ time to come together!
Babush Monserrate’s unimpressive victory in the CCP election furthered this devious sprint. The rhetoric was usual “ let’s put the government on the mat. The floor management was supposedly chalked out, questions coordinated and “scams” distributed. Each one decided to thoroughly revise one scam to knock the government; others were entrusted with the responsibility of backing the marquee player of the day. It all seemed shaping fine till the extensive bell of the assembly rang for business on day one.
The not so notorious boys “ Vijai Sardesai and Rohan Khaunte decided to land in the well of the house. Naresh Sawal followed but reluctantly revolved around the table of the house officers. He did not shout slogans nor did he show any ferociousness. Pratapsingh Rane, the opposition leader decided to get up and stand just next to his designated chair long after Vijai Sardesai started his high pitch performance. Digambar Kamat walked few steps from his seat and stood next to senior Rane. Reginald joined Vijai and Rohan but his voice was not attaining the desired pitch. Babush Monserrate was nowhere to be seen. Vishwajeet Rane stood next to Vijai and Rohan as a mute spectator. Pandurang Madkaikar and company maintained the well expected detachment. Day one was over and so was the “floor mismanagement”.
The cracks widened with Pratapsingh Rane spending (or wasting) close to forty minutes of the question hour on the issue of Mayem Evacuee property when his colleagues were ready all guns blazing with the “alleged” Lusofonia scam. The question never hit the floor of the house. The final straw was Vishwajeet Rane choosing a question about state finances over the “coconut”. It was all over. The “floor management” lasted, in reality, till the time these anxious folks set foot on the actual floor “ on Saturday and Sunday before the commencement of the session.
The gut feeling about aligning with each other was out of compulsion and not conviction. Another gut feeling these guys harvested about the pack was far more native “ the one of distrust. The disintegration was a natural progression of these obvious suspicions about each other. But the rapidity with which it happened was alarming. It could not even last for 48 hours.
In view of this miserably failed experiment (and let me admit one point “ their performance, in spite of all these odds, exposed the government on numerous fronts. One can imagine how dismal the show of the cabinet during this session was) the question arises “ can there be any grand opposition alliance in Goa for the 2017 assembly election?
There are three essential components needed to forge an alliance. First, a political party which can play a role of an elder brother; which can carry everyone along by respecting their individual space and desires and be brash and abrasive at times to maintain order. Second - a leader proficient enough to create charisma around him; who can tolerate and deliberate with individuals of various temperaments and trades. Third “ a common enemy strong enough to create a requirement for a coordinated and unified opposition; one that can force them to shed their individual disdains for each other, at least for the time being.
Right now, the first two factors are grossly missing. Congress has failed to become the political party that can create gravitas around the opposition space. The party has become spiritless, rudderless and leaderless due to reluctance of the GPCC president to continue in his position and the leader of opposition to perform as one. The first factor has led to the non-existence of the second component. Alex Reginald to Vishwajeet Rane and Digambar Kamat to Vijai Sardesai believe that they can lead the opposition in this election year. Sadly, they don’t believe so about each other. The flare-up between Vijai and Vishwajeet is a testimony of this fact. However, the only factor that is leading to this contemplation of grand alliance is the common foe “ the BJP.
As mentioned earlier, BJP also is not in a great shape. An opposition as disintegrated and disbelieving of each other could disclose total incompetence of the treasury benches. A budget devoid of any economic philosophy and full of ultra-popular schemes and measures showed desperation of this administration in an election year. They too don’t have a captivating leader. They are being challenged by every NGO and village groups on minor to major issues. The disenchantment is total. The only thing going in favor of this government is the comprehension of this ground reality. The BJP knows their present position on ground and they will try some course correction, however cosmetic it may be, to generate better notion of their executive; unlike the Congress of 2011 where the then heavyweights were virtually distributing portfolios to each other two days prior to the election.
As a citizen of this hypothetically learned and erudite state “ the situation is not rosy. The certainty is grim. The choice is sadly between the bad and the worst. Is that an alternative at all?
