The contests in the two Lok Sabha seats in Goa whose electorate is slated to vote on May 7, have thrown up interesting facets with politicians of contrasting personas vying for the North and the South.
While in the North it will be an intriguing battle between two political veterans and a third candidate in the form of RGP president Manoj Parab, who some refer to as 'supremo', quite in contrast, the tussle in the South is going to be between political novices.
Shripad Naik, who has been MP for five consecutive terms in North Goa and is seeking his sixth inning faces the white-haired, suave and veteran of nearly five decades, Ramakant Khalap.
Both Naik and Khalap, are known to be genial politicians who rarely lose their cool. While that is a quality many politicians lack and holds them in good stead, it also works against them in the hustle and bustle of modern-day electoral politics, where the 'juggad' types who 'get your work done by hook or by crook' are usually the preferred lot. The third man in the fray, Manoj Parab, is comparatively a johnny-come-lately, who has achieved a meteoric trajectory in Goa's politics owing to his and his party's identity politics which unfortunately appeals more to Goans abroad than the electorate here.
In the South, the fight is between Pallavi Dempo, a political outsider picked by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for reasons still unclear, although the ruse is 'women empowerment'. This is Dempo's first-ever election and it will be quite a feat if she goes on to win the seat where the odds are known to be stacked against the BJP.
She faces the challenge of the Congress' Captain Viriato Fernandes, again a relative novice to electoral politics who nonetheless came up with a fascinating showing at the 2022 assembly elections when he made veteran politician Mauvin Godinho sweat to the end to earn his win in Dabolim.
Fernandes, whose social media bio says he's a former Indian naval officer part of the action during the Kargil war, won the ticket pipping the Congress' veteran and incumbent MP, Francisco Sardinha, expressly because of his 'fresh face' demeanour.
Shripad-Khalap banter
They may be at daggers drawn at each other in the battle for the North Goa Lok Sabha seat but both Union Minister Shripad Naik and former Union minister Ramakant Khalap, are admittedly friends and each other's admirers of sorts, off the political stage, as a recent episode at an event where both happened to be present, indicates.
It so happened that the Naik-Khalap duo were at this event and got engaged in friendly banter with a fairly large audience paying attention. Witnesses claim Naik saying stuff to the effect that: 'Khalap is a good man and if I was not in politics I would vote for him if I was a voter in elections he fought'. When Khalap's turn came, the silver-haired politician returned the compliment.
What twisted the tale when the episode got reported in some gossip columns of a vernacular media publication was the fact that Shripad was already officially declared as the BJP candidate and Khalap, at that time was still officially an aspirant for the Congress ticket. The gossip column tweaked the reportage to convey the message that Khalap said he would vote for Shripad if he (Khalap) does not get the Congress ticket.
So when Khalap actually won the Congress nomination and was asked by a journo at the official press conference about this statement, the veteran politician had to use all his experience and gift of the gab to explain the context ending his explanation with: "I will fight and defeat him (Naik)...and he will still be my friend."
Chai wars: BJP veteran challenges Modi's 'chai wala' crown
Well looks like our dear Prime Minister Narendra Modi has got competition.
No, don’t get us wrong. It’s not for the PM’s post but rather a contest of who can claim the humble beginnings of brewing tea. Recently, during a gathering of BJP karyakartas at his residence, Dayanand Mandrekar, a veteran four-time MLA from Siolim, threw a chai-flavoured grenade into the mix. Mandrekar boldly declared that Modi couldn't hog the chaiwala limelight all to himself, for he too once wielded the stirring spoon of destiny.
Locals in the sleepy village vouch for the ex-MLA’s claim, as Mandrekar was running a hotel near the ferry point in Siolim before he plunged into the murky waters of politics. People in the know shared another secret that Mandrekar also fried pakodas in his hotel.
It turns out that while Modi was perfecting his chai recipe, Mandrekar was busy flipping pakodas at his cozy riverside hotel near the ferry point. And let me tell you, folks, his pakodas were the talk of the town!
Calangute sarpanch's holiday leaves p’yat power play in limbo
The plot thickens in the sunny shores of Calangute! While the beach basks in the absence of its powerful Sarpanch, Joseph Sequeira, who is apparently on holiday, a delightful little birdie decided to spill the panchayat tea.
Whispers abound in the precincts of the panchayat office that the Sarpanch, in his eagerness for a well-deserved holiday, forgot a tiny detail – handing over the reins to his loyal deputy.
Now, in the absence of a designated leader, who shall ascend the throne of power? Step forth, oh humble secretary! It seems the secretary shall wear the crown, ruling over the village panchayat like a benevolent monarch.
But hold your breath, for the comedy of errors doesn't end there. Picture this: both the Sarpanch and his deputy belong to the illustrious BJP, as does the local MLA. Yet, in this game of political hot potato, it appears the Sarpanch's trust in his deputy's ability to steer the ship is as shaky as a sandcastle in high tide.
