Carrying forward the Manohar Parrikar legacy has become a subject of debate for the May 19 Panaji bypoll. Questions have been raised in political circles as BJP zeroes down on Parrikar’s son Utpal to take forward the legacy. The latest to raise questions is Taleigao strongman Babush Monserrate who is on his way out of the Goa Forward Party. While his friend Vijai Sardessai opined that Utpal was best suited to take forward Parrikar’s legacy, Babush retorted that Parrikar’s legacy should not be imposed on the people.
The bigger question, however, is how does one differentiate between legacies and dynasties in such a situation? BJP has been shouting from every rooftop, with leaders at the Centre and State slamming the Congress for its dynastic politics while in the same breath hailing their own democratic values. Legacies may not follow rules of succession and need not be hereditary either, but when there is an overlap, like in the case of Utpal, how does the BJP defend it?
Legacies and dynastic politics are subjects mainly used for electoral posturing and hold no relevance in Goa’s broader scenario where party affiliation and preferences change at a brisk pace. At the end of it all it is hard politicking and sheer tussle for power. Not too long ago, Babush gave a walkover to Parrikar in the 2017 Panaji bypoll and joined the Goa Forward Party, only to promptly rewarded with a Greater Panaji PDA. Understandably, the script went bad and Babush doesn’t believe in Parrikar’s legacy. He has given a clarion call to all and sundry to join him in defeating the BJP.
Babush’s electoral ambitions are clear for now, unless if he decides to give another walkover this time too. But where does it all end with a BJP government holding the reigns? Politicians often turn colour-blind when it comes to power. Lest we forget, Vijai too had launched a stinging attack on the BJP and Parrikar during the 2017 election campaign, only to join hands in government formation. Development and stability are common alibis that leaders use to jump on and off the bandwagon.
Last week BJP felt the shivers of legacy within its own camp. A letter allegedly written by one leader on behalf of a section of party workers strongly rooted for Sidharth Kuncalienkar as a bypoll candidate for being the sacrificial lamb for Parrikar to do a ghar-whapsi. Left red-faced, the party promptly called the letter fake and booked a police FIR to probe its source. It’s nearly a week now the complaint is gathering dust. BJP should not expect other leaders to make way for legacies. They have a choice to make.
