MAPUSA
Call it coincidence or just a reality of circumstances, Bardez appears to be dictating terms in government formation in recent times.
The taluka which elected seven legislators to the assembly is turning into a power centre, with four MLAs getting ministerial berths, already clocking up a 33 percent reservation in the cabinet.
And if all goes as per the script, the taluka may throw up yet another minister in the next cabinet expansion due in April.
Apart from Mapusa MLA Francis D’Souza of the BJP, two MLAs of the Goa Forward Party “ Saligao MLA Jayesh Salgaonkar and Siolim MLA Vinod Palyekar and the Independent MLA from Porvorim Rohan Khaunte “ all have made it to the cabinet in the BJP-led coalition government.
Amongst the four, only D’Souza is an experienced hand having been a minister and senior member of the legislative assembly. It is Porvorim MLA’s second stint as an MLA but first as a minister. The other two first time MLAs elevated as ministers are inexperienced as far as running of the administration is concerned.
Considering the pivotal role played by Calangute MLA Michael Lobo in the formation of the coalition government, he appears to be an automatic choice for a berth in the
cabinet.
If he is included in the cabinet, then with five ministers, Bardez will have an enviable position in the government.
In 2012, three ministers including the deputy chief minister were from Bardez. With BJP bagging six seats, it was but natural for the party to give wide representation to the taluka at that time.
This time, although BJP’s tally has been reduced to half, compulsions of coalition politics forced the leadership to accommodate and give representation to members of Goa Forward Party and an Independent in the taluka.
Former Speaker and three-time MLA Surendra Sirsat said representation in the cabinet was inconsequential and developing a constituency depended on the MLA’s capacity.
“In the last term, there were three ministers in Bardez. What development worth its salt can be seen in Mapusa or Siolim or even Saligao,” Sirsat questioned.
He said the capacity of the MLA to understand the administration and get work done was vital.
Bardez’s gain was Salcete’s loss down South. In 2007, half the cabinet, six ministers including the chief minister, came from Salcete. The then chief minister, Digambar Kamat represented Margao while the other five ministers “ Churchill Alemao, Filipe Neri Rodrigues, Joaquim Alemao, Micky Pacheco and Aleixo Sequeira -- represented Navelim, Velim, Cuncolim, Benaulim and Loutolim respectively as ministers.
All the ministers presided over plump portfolios of Home, Finance, PWD, Power, Tourism, TCP, Urban Development, etc.
Out of the eight seats up for grabs in Salcete, seven had gone to Congress-NCP alliance, with BJP bagging only the Fatorda seat in 2007.
This time, Congress bagged six seats in the taluka, while one each went to NCP (Benaulim) and Goa Forward (Fatorda) and none to BJP.
With the shift in political equation, only one MLA, Vijay Sardessai, is representing Salcete in the cabinet this time.
According to political commentator, Cleofato Coutinho, becoming ministers was all about power and the frills that come with it. He said development can take place even if one was in the opposition.
“In 2012, two Independent MLAs, Vijay Sardessai and Rohan Khaunte, brought about much more development in their constituencies than the ruling side. That you need to be ministers or be in the ruling side is all humbug. Being a minister is all about power and the perks that come with it,” Coutinho said.
