The verdict is out. The people of Goa have spoken decisively while giving a clear mandate to the Bharatiya Janata Party, much against the predictions of poll pundits. An election that saw an unprecedented blitzkrieg of money power, outrageous promises, freebies and doles and novel outreaches via social media may have clouded and confused the minds of the electorate at large. But, at the end of it all, the people of Goa have expressed themselves in no uncertain terms and gave an overwhelming mandate based on sincerity and complete clarity of mind. Here is what the results tell us:
1. The result has established beyond reason that the Goan voter cannot be taken for a ride, no matter how overwhelming the promises and freebies are. The electorate has shunned all those schemes -- from free water, free power, cash doles and even cash for votes -- and has voted conscientiously by ignoring all the inducements and distractions that came along.
2. The results tell us that the voter is watching. The electorate has dealt a telling blow on a majority of those who violated the mandate by exploiting loopholes in the Constitution and switching parties. As many as nine of the twelve leaders who changed parties have been shown the door shunning their reasoning of development. If the High Court has allowed party-switching as mergers, the People's Court has ruled against them and chose to send those legislators home.
3. The results showed an enormous frustration against non-performers. Statistics reveal that 20 of the contesting legislators have been rejected, which nearly works out to 50 per cent of the Assembly. Also, 19 new faces have been elected, which equates to nearly half the assembly. George Bernard Shaw once wrote, progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds, cannot change anything. This beautifully sums up Goa's desire for a stunning change in politics.
4. While the BJP emerges triumphant, this result cannot be considered a clean chit for the BJP against some of the sins of the past. It may have pole-vaulted against the feared anti-incumbency wave by some smart arithmetic, but by no means can this win be considered as a licence to go freewheeling, like it did in the previous term.
5. The Congress, which is left to lick its wounds, cannot blame the split in votes at this juncture. The defeat only meant that the party think-tank failed to assess the situation and showed sheer arrogance in forging a larger pre-poll alliance. The split in the secular vote was obvious right from day one when parties like Trinamool Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and NCP jumped in the fray. Shedding tears over a vote-split at this juncture is meaningless.
5. While there were political veterans, giant killers and politicos with deep pockets, the emergence of Revolutionary Goans in the Legislative Assembly, and the vote-share it gained across Goa in its maiden election is heartening. They won hearts despite having lesser-known faces in constituencies, and that sends out a message that Goanness is a crucial component of the larger political discourse.
6. While the election has been about winnability and uncertainties, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant became a classic case as he went through a roller-coaster counting phase before finally emerging victorious. However, at the end of it all, he has not only steered BJP to a convincing win but also earned approval for his leadership at a time when it was being questioned. We only hope that lessons are learnt from the 2017 tenure while he draws a template of 2022.
