AAP in Goa -- Where is the local leadership? -- By Saturnino Rodrigues.

Saturnino Rodrigues

The bugle is blown on the threshold of yet another election in Goa, the political mathematicians are already in the drawing board with calculations and new formulas, new political equations are taking shape and things are on the anvil waiting to be struck. The small and big national and regional political parties those will affect the poll outcome have started displaying their power. Some recent past incidents have underlined the limitations of the major parties, giving rise to the scope of having an alternative to the BJP and Congress. And thus came the Aaam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the political scenario of Goa as an alternative choice to the Goans, it is today mired with many scandals within.

Its portrayal of itself as crusader against corruption does not make much impact on the Goans as we have got more local issues that are plaguing Goa and its environment, not just fight against corruption.

With AAP’s High Command in Delhi like Congress, BJP and NCP, it cannot be called a local outfit that can suit Goan interests. According to the majority of Goans, there is no doubt in our minds that we need a local or a regional political party with its primary understanding of Goan issues that are closer to our hearts to safeguard the real Goenkarpon.

AAP has primarily stood on the platform of wiping out corruption riding piggyback on Anna Hazare’s movement against corruption. Today, Anna Hazare has openly shown his disappointment about Arvind Kejriwal which has rocked the AAP and has to be on the defensive.

AAP has to look deeper into the local issues affecting Goa if it wants to make a landmark. The Delhi model is in no way to be compared with Goa, it should not expect people simply will flock behind by projecting Delhi model. Goa has its unique problems which are not common in par with Delhi.

AAP has got to know and feel the real important issues where people suffer, it has been silent on all these major issues but busy in comparing Delhi with Goa, telling us how it came to power in Delhi. They should make efforts to study the socio-political fabric of Goa, Delhi cannot be compared in terms of infrastructure, geographical boundaries and the maturity of public in politics. We should be open to support a third front or a different political party to bring a change in Goa in 2017. There are growing anxieties about the increasing set of questions, doubts and confusion in the minds of the Goan people as to the nature of the agenda of AAP. It defies all prescriptions and definitions of what politics it wants to play in Goa. With its High Command in Delhi and not a single viable known or identified local leader in Goa for crusading Goan causes, the actual ‘aam admi’ in Goa does not see a cause in the eyes of the AAP.

The success of AAP in Delhi was an important factor motivated by the movement of Anna Hazare. In Goa, such a situation cannot happen, the present set of AAP leaders should acknowledge the veterans of Goa who have been crusaders against the wrong doings of the consecutive governments, saved the grace of the Goans by fighting against the destruction. AAP is on a leadership hunt but cannot see the good and proven activists who single handedly protected much of Goa from the destruction, it wants to build the party, fly banners but blind to acknowledge those who work and save the environment.

In Delhi, AAP itself is being allegedly embroiled with corruption, sexual abuse cases, the  barrage of allegations against the Aam Admi Party seem to have created a sense of doubt among Delhi and now Goan voters, whether the party that stormed into the political arena as ‘All Clean” is actually as clean as it projects itself.

AAP should make efforts to identify non-corrupt local leaders with proven records, those who can lead Goans and not those who need directions from the High Command in Delhi, it has to prove different from the Congress, BJP and NCP with a Goan outfit, local administration that can rule Goa without depending on the directions from Delhi. Kejriwal is a one man show and vesting too much power in one man can be too dictatorial. Another person who does the rounds in Goa within AAP circles is Pankaj Gupta, the National General Secretary of the party, was basically recruited by Kejriwal to generate funds and accelerate the momentum in Delhi. However, nothing moves in Goa without the approval of this man. AAP-Goa has failed to project its local leaders to Goans to let know who will lead us. They have been busy in putting up party banners and holding no meaningful ‘dharnas’, inserting huge newspaper advertisements of Kejriwal’s achievements in Delhi which has nothing to do with Goa. Important local issues are nowhere on the menu of the AAP or so far demonstrated seriously. Goans cannot simply bank on AAP and wait for Delhi miracle to happen in Goa.

AAP-Goa should be in a mood to know the pulse of the voters in the changing political scenario. In the present word to word whisper, 'AAP' gets preference among other political options but the percentage of those supporting AAP has reduced.

There is doubt in the mind of voters about its local leadership and selection of candidates. AAP should be able to identify and take onboard all activists who have been fighting for Goa for decades without political strings. If it thinks that they should not approach them, they are mistaken, they should rope in the best.

All the present political novices in AAP - Goa should understand that in the subsequent commotion of its party without strong leadership, the real issues of development and saving Goa will be forgotten. The stubbornness and myth that leaders will evolve will only be a dream. It is time for AAP to identify non-corrupt leaders and candidates with repute and not just speech writers or orators. It’s time for a change but a change that should start within by inducting leaders of calibre,  those who toiled the last decades in saving what is left of Goa. The people’s verdict will be final but not based on Delhi model.

The author works for a major global oil company as a Competency Assessor