National parties in India increasingly appear focused on personal glorification and retaining individuals in positions of power, while the welfare and development of states often receive secondary attention. States governed by regional parties have frequently pursued state-specific development, though they too face allegations of corruption, nepotism and political patronage. Goa has witnessed politicians repeatedly switching parties, abandoning organisations that nurtured and promoted them. Such defections, including en masse defections, have weakened public faith in political leaders and democratic institutions. Political allegiance increasingly seems driven by personal ambition rather than ideology, principles or public interest. In these circumstances, Goa-based parties such as the GFP, RGP and MGP should seriously consider a common front, or even a merger, to provide a credible alternative. Alliances driven by individual ambitions and internal rivalries are unlikely to challenge entrenched political power effectively. The voter therefore has an important role. Instead of allowing the same personalities to remain permanently entrenched, voters can use the ballot box to regularly change representatives. Such conscious political rotation could promote accountability, stability and genuinely people-centric governance.
NELSON LOPES, Chinchinim
