Is the Zilla Panchayat election scheduled for December 12 going to be a fair polling exercise? Will it give BJP the edge, or will the party candidates fall victims to the ongoing protests? The forthcoming Zilla panchayat election throws up interesting questions and would be a litmus test for the saffron party.
With the Covid pressure easing off considerably, and against the backdrop of Bihar recently holding its assembly elections, Goa could see itself in a comfort zone to proceed with the impending local body elections. However, the spotlight would be on the BJP-backed candidates, given the fact that a lot has changed during the last eight months.
Since Zilla elections have seen more prominent involvement of political parties this time, candidates aligning themselves with the BJP, on the one hand, could capitalize on the government's outreach during Covid times. The pandemic phase provided an opportunity for a cross-section of candidates to use the situation to their political advantage by reaching out to the electorate with the government's Covid healthcare.
On the flip side, BJP-backed candidates, especially along the areas affected by double-tracking and coal expansion, could find a reversal in political fortunes given the public outcry over these projects. The BJP top brass may have exuded confidence that the protests will not impact the prospects of their candidates, but it remains a tough call to make given the discord on the ground. With contentious issues simmering in the background, and with the government holding its ground, these elections will be a barometer to gauge the success or failure of parties and individuals.
Public memory is short, and all the poll promises of late February and March will fade out and the picture before the electorate in the past few months will play out on December 12. It is to be seen if the government's Covid outreach manages to outscore the resentment over projects.
The polls are an acid test for government machinery too, and with Election Code of Conduct coming into force from Saturday itself, all corner meetings and public appeals must cease till results. Ironically, there were meetings conducted during the weekend and rules of the election commission were flagrantly flouted; besides, there were complaints that the toll-free central Voter Helpline was not functional.
The pandemic may have taken the sheen off the elections, but the State Election Commission and the government machinery have a challenging job at hand in terms of maintaining neutrality. On another count, the SEC has indicated that it will put in place necessary protocols in line with the Bihar elections. The question is whether the State government can galvanize the requisite machinery to enforce discipline and ensure the safety of people? There are over 7.91 lakh voters that will line up across 855 polling stations across the State.
This Zilla Panchayat election will test everyone -- parties, candidates, State Election Commission, Enforcement and the electorate.
