Conflicts between parties
The main parties Congress, BJP and MGP are trying their best to woo the voters. The tie up with BJP and MGP may be useful irrespective of posturing by both parties and recriminations for public consumption. The Shiv Sena seems to be extending olive branch to BJP, which may lead to a foothold somehow while the Congress wants to go alone. The rise of the BJP is to due corruption and family raj in Goa. Voters hopefully thought of it as an alternative in disgust. People are sadly disillusioned by the performance of BJP with promises kept in abeyance and the Congress does seem to be a force to challenge the incumbent BJP, not having participated in municipal elections.
The regional parties like forward Goa, VKS, Goa Suraj party, UGDP will only lead to division of votes of minority, The majority votes even with dissent will only go the party in the final analysis. The BJP will be too happy to ferment dissent and back independents to divide votes as before and win in the end. Unless and until all these well-meaning splinter groups come to an understanding and fight unitedly the menace of ruling party, the prospects are bleak to make a dent to displace BJP in Goa.
Nelson Lopes, Chinchinim
It comes as a huge relief for thousands of Goans as the Union Government has announced that a special Central Authority will be set up in the state to deal with the matter of dual citizenship. This will solve the long pending dual-citizenship issue which is one of the major electoral promises made by the BJP-led government during the 2012 elections. It is understood that 26,000 names of those who have acquired the Portuguese passports have been deleted from the electoral rolls and that another 66,000 names are likely to be deleted if the issue of dual citizenship is not sorted out. This must be considered as a substantial number of voters in a small state like Goa and could have a telling effect on the outcome of elections in the state which goes to the polls in 2017. It is pertinent to note that several Goans have registered their birth in Portugal so that their children can acquire the Portuguese passport, which many consider as a gateway for a brighter future in the European countries, and they have no intention of migrating. It would be appropriate to restore the voting rights to these Goans.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Drugs and tourism
The drug problem and prostitution in Goa has existed for eons, and one cannot put the blame squarely on the shoulders of only the BJP in this regard. The Congress too had turned a blind eye to this problem, with one of the minister’s sons even being mentioned as connected to the trade. It’s no secret that this problem plagues almost every tourist destination on the planet, apart from a few places. Even in Thailand, with severe penalities if one is caught with drugs, can one find peddlers to sell you drugs of your choice, at your own risk. The government cannot state that they do not know how to handle this problem. If so, then step down and let someone who can run this State.
Sanjay Naik, Mapusa
