So, now that the heat and dust has settled, one can reflect on the just-concluded CCP election. Confused? confounding? controversial? even comical?
Purely based on the fire and brimstone all of us moral dragons of Goa have been breathing down on issues plaguing Goa, Babush should have sweated a bit, no?
Let alone getting burnt. What explains the sweep then? That Babush' s familiar, insufferable swagger got even more pronounced? The answer my friend, as the old ditty goes, is blowing in the wind.
In every election, there are two factors that determine the outcome: Chemistry and Math. Editorials, videos, interviews and the razzle-dazzle of the mediascape can spawn Chemistry. But it cannot replace Math.
And Babush, with all his corporators, had their Math right.
Every Babush corporator knows each and every one of his constituents by name, and they worked relentlessly to bring out the vote.
Add to that, the BJP machinery created by Manohar in Panjim is now loyal to the party and not to any Parrikar. Hence the sweep.
Utpal and his panel may have created the Chemistry and raised the issues pertinent to Panjim as a whole. But Babush got the Math pitch perfect!
What of ideological battles you may ask? What ideological battles, I answer.When you shave off the husk, the kernel of the story is that this was eventually a BJP vs BJP fight.
Utpal wished to create an impact to pitch for the 2027 assembly BJP ticket. And Babush sought to retain it.
So are we doomed then? All our sound and fury signifying nothing? The same destructive forces, back in the saddle, not as dictators but voted into office by a mature democracy (Hah!).
We must concede we are on the ropes. But there may be a way out, if the virtuous signaling of the activists ceases for awhile. Goa has always been a colony of New Delhi.
During the 80s, we had the Congress Party at the centre, and Congress here. During the 90s, a mish-mash at the centre and a mish-mash here. The early 2000s had Congress at the centre, with Congress here. For a brief period.
In 2012, despite the Congress at the centre, we had Manohar Parrikar here. Who then blew the Goa agenda for which he was given a clear mandate. Since 2014, we have had Modi at the centre and the BJP here.
Hence in 2027 chances are that it will be a hobbled up, gobbled up, mollycoddled BJP government here with defectors of all hues. RG will resist. Valmiki's AAP will resist. Viriato and Yuri's Congress may resist. The rest are all up for grabs.
So the battle lines in 2027 will be the official BJP candidate versus a wolf in sheep's clothing opponent hoping to win and jump ship in our strait of Hormuz.
So as "thinkers” (who arrogantly assume that the rest of the electorate cannot think), “intellectuals” (who again arrogantly assume that the rest of the electorate are not intelligent) and “activists" (who arrogantly assume that the electorate is inactive, just chilling out and drinking urrak) one must identify and push for the non-BJP opponent. Preferably just one, iron-clad person, not prone to jump and most importantly he/she should have no real-estate or mining interests as the primary source of income.
That way even if he/she defects, he/she will still be our person in the BJP. And instead of organizing rallies and giving rousing speeches, help him/her do the Math.
Alternatively, create a formidable political alliance against this dysfunctional BJP government that has run Goa aground. And identify a CM face. Credible incorruptible. Smart it must be a woman. (Those aforementioned qualities don’t sit well on any man currently in political life).
She should contest independent (don’t forget the Math).
With the rest of the opposition burying their hatchets, egos, agendas and commercial interests rallying around this CM candidate in a complete one-on-one battle. This may create some chemistry for the opposition.
If one goes back banging the same tedious communal vs secular argument, the battle is as good as lost even before it has begun.
Lastly, and this is a long shot, the BJP revamps its entire candidate list, throws out all these real estate carpet baggers and dealers and gives us genuine old guard BJP candidates who were brought up on a political diet of austerity, service and sacrifice.
For this to happen, the BJP electorate must push the party leadership to respond. Are they up to it?
I doubt it. With so many interests, commercial and shady running the BJP now, it appears impossible.
Moral of the story. I frankly do not care what government comes in. The point is the majority of the legislators cannot be pandering to the real estate Delhi selling, casino gambling, sex and narcotics trafficking lot.
No communal vs secular; no Konkani vs Marathi; No Christao vs Muslim. Just land selling versus land preserving , nothing more, nothing less. Let's play on. As my friend Sabina Martins would say: Let's roll the last dice.
