Political parties in the state are trying out various means to stop their would-be MLAs from defecting to another party. The Congress sought divine intervention to stop their members from defecting. The party candidates took a pledge in places of worship that they will not skip to another party if elected. AAP has reportedly made its candidates sign sworn affidavits that they will not defect. It is true that the scourge of defection has been the bane of politics in Goa. In the past, political parties have been finding it difficult to keep their flock together. However citizens could be circumspect as to whether taking a pledge or signing an affidavit will stop those candidates who have been elected from jumping to another party. It is a matter of concern for any party that their members defect after the party has borne their election campaign expenses and got them elected on the party symbol. Probably the only way to stop an elected representative from defecting could be to make the member who wants to defect pay a certain amount to the parent party. This too cannot be considered as full proof as the party which needs support to form the government could be paying the “transfer fee” of the candidate who has been elected. The only way to stop defections could be to give voters the power to recall a particular elected representative who has defected. This is necessary since the voters could have voted for the party and not the candidate.
ADELMO FERNANDES, Vasco
