The impressive 78.94 per cent voter turnout at the Goa Assembly elections on Monday has opened up an interesting debate. Is it a vote for a change, or a vote for the BJP? Positivity ran high in the brisk polling during the opening sessions, but there was no visible anger in the electorate to conclude that the early spike was out of frustration or aimed against the current dispensation.
Candidates and parties across the spectrum may have sounded optimistic and seen the good turnout as a victory, but this confidence is completely unfounded because, in an election, it is not over till every vote is counted. While the BJP claimed it is a sign of good luck, Opposition parties went with the commonly held belief that the high turnout is a vote against an incumbent government. Poll pundits have predicted a hung assembly with no party managing an absolute majority, thereby indicating that Goa's worries are far from over.
This has been one of the most keenly contested, in terms of contestants, firepower and money power in campaigns. Confidence, no doubt, runs high among candidates, but so does the suspense. The results will be keenly awaited because, besides unveiling the winners, there are many serious questions that await answers. The election will decide if the people have accepted the development and stability plank of the BJP and their vision for the State, or have rejected it. It will decide on the leadership of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. The result will decide whether this is a vote against defections and defectors, or whether the electorate has put it on the backburner. The result will tell us whether new alternatives like Aam Aadmi Party, Trinamool Congress and the new regional force Revolutionary Goans have found acceptance. It will tell us whether the electorate has reposed faith in Independent candidates knowing well that they are at liberty to align with any dispensation that is in power. And it will also tell us whether the voter was confused and disillusioned to make NOTA a preferred choice.
Besides establishing the winners and losers, the election will provide insight into the most vexed questions that Goans were seeking answers to in recent times, and mere vote percentages at this stage don’t help that cause. This election is not only about winning and losing, but also about redefining politics in the State. It’s about reassessing public opinion and perspectives on the political landscape of Goa. If this election is a litmus test for the candidates, it is also one for the people of Goa. This vote will reflect the pulse of people, their hopes and aspirations and the kind of Goa that we look forward to.
Much has been spoken about shortcomings and failures of governments and their policies, partisan politics, defectors and candidates with dubious and criminal records. While there have been scorn and hate campaigns, candidates have tried to momentarily celebrate the turnout by creating a false illusion of victory. There is still a long way to go till March 10, and parties must hold their horses and refrain from basking in post-poll optics that are misleading.
