The Carnival celebrations in Margao on Sunday did not only revolve around song, dance and cultural extravaganza, but also had a fair share of politics. Political leaders descended upon the big stage and used it as a strategic platform for political outreach, taking potshots and sending out subtle messages. It was about joining hands, forging alliances and shaping narratives for the key 2027 Assembly elections, which appear to be less than a year away.
A notable development at Margao is the visible convergence of allies ”Congress and Goa Forward, and their overwhelming show of unity. Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Amit Patkar’s bold declaration that Congress and Goa Forward would form the next government was a clear message of opposition unity, but the phrase “grand alliance” or Grand Opposition Alliance (GOA), mooted not too long ago by Yuri Alemao, was conspicuously absent.
The very fact that Congress Goa desk in-charge Manikrao Thakare made his presence felt at the event gave enough signs that the Congress-Goa Forward partnership is moving forward. The question is what prompted this show of unity when both parties are already allies? The discourse largely revolved around the two parties, and the absence of any overt mention of onboarding RGP or AAP suggests that political players are still hedging their bets, aware of the fragility of such arrangements.
Lest we forget, the opposition has had an unpredictable past, having fallen out of favour after holding hands of unity and creating the optics of a “grand alliance”, ahead of the Zilla Elections. Here also, leaders chose the Narkarsur festivities to announce unity, which was short-lived with RGP abruptly exiting the group.
On the other side of the fence, the ruling BJP too blew the election bugle at the Carnival celebrations and exuded confidence of 30 seats in the 2027 elections, an ambitious number given the hostile political climate that is building up in the background. BJP’s optimism stems from the fact that it has the heavyweights and a disunited Opposition. The downside here is that the BJP is discounting the wave of protests and the rising tide of hate over various issues that are threatening to submerge party prospects.
Goa has a rich cultural legacy, and people take part in festivities with great pomp and gusto. Sadly, political leaders have lately been using these events as outreach tools, blurring the lines between genuine celebrations and strategic political manoeuvring. Are political parties making citizens dance to their tunes through such events?
Past elections have shown that the Congress-Goa Forward alliance may not be enough to dismantle the BJP in the larger scheme of things. It is well established through the 2022 Assembly elections, the Lok Sabha elections and the recent Zilla Panchayat elections that the Opposition space needs complete unity. In this context, the Congress-Goa Forward show pales out and appears to be a chase for selfish political goals.
The Margao carnival festivities have once again revealed the political calculus underlying Goa’s culture. The question is whether these overtures are genuine or mere theatrical displays that could be forgotten by the end of the season. It’s time Goans shun such electoral posturing. Goa needs cultural celebrations minus the political baggage. It’s time people of the State see through these optics.
