Can Goa Forward save Goa with schemers and same actors?

With the BJP not delivering all that they had promised in the 2012 Assembly election manifesto and plenty of U-turns, the Congress continuing with its bickering within its party veterans with nothing to show in new faces, NCP too has nothing to show besides press conferences and AAP continuing with its activism and yet to take off, a vacuum has been formed for the ensuing 2017 general election.

Goa Legislative Assembly Complex

The newly formed Goa Forward Party eagerly wants to fill this vaccum. However it seems to be lost in the quagmire of political scenario in Goa. Not that the force behind this fledgling party is a novice to politics or machinations of politicking, infact it would not be off the target to state that Fatorda MLA Vijay Sardessai is a master on the political chess board.

But in the current scenario, marriage of convenience is being sought in the name of ‘unity’ of all opposing parties and individuals against the BJP looks to be a little unrealistic moreso because we are in the election year and every politician or political party worth its salt wants its pound of power.

Recently Fatorda MLA latching on to the former legislator and quick witted lawyer and also presidium member of the now defunct political party UGDP has sent wrong signals to the people. 

Vijay Sardessai - King in the waiting

It has sent wrong signals because it is legendary that advocate Radharao Gracias has trust deficit with the Congress, GVP supremo and former UGDP legislator Mickky Pacheco has trust deficit in Gracias. Babush Monserrate has a good equation with Radharao because of different reasons but it is not that former is not wary of him. It is Babush’s nature to be wary of everybody. And the witty lawyer pairing up with Vijay who has been a Congressman from the beginning does not send very positive vibes.

It is an open secret that Gracias-Vijay association goes back more than a decade back when Babush Monserrate won on the UGDP ticket, was made a minister in the BJP led government and then aligned with the Congress to topple Manohar Parrikar led government. Basically the witty lawyer and Fatorda MLA were in the thick of things analysing the pros and cons and advising the Taleigao strongman on political strategies then.

In fact when the Taleigao strongman was the Town and Country Planning minister it was strongly rumoured that Gracias was the architect of draconian Regional Plan 2011, which sought to change the entire skyline of Goa with concrete structures, which gave birth to Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA).

Adv. Radharao Gracias

Secondly, advocate Gracias’ one liners and barbs has long lasting effect on the political friends, foes and associates. Hence basically no political parties and politician alike tend to trust him.

Thirdly the same individual had gone to town saying that Congress is a family party and if Congress were defeated in 2012 elections it is because the voters said no to family raj politics. but the general public very well that the demise of the regional party United Goan Democratic Party is also because of the same reason as it was run by family members or rather brother-in-laws. So in a sense functioning of UGDP party was not much different from that of the Congress. While UGDP never really flourished or prospered under the family settings similarly Congressmen under Digambar Kamat  led government thrived and prospered.

And now with former TCP minister of the infamous regional plan 2011 Babush Monserrate alleged takeover over the reins of the now obsolete outfit UGDP, it is going to be one man show.

St. Cruz MLA Babush Monserrate

Fourthly what confuses the voters is the strange stand that the famous brother-in-laws take on public issues. It is generally opposite. Can we forget that advocate Gracias always supports English as one of the medium of instruction (MoI) in schools while the other supports mother tongue? They have always dabbled in this game of playing with the sentiments of the public and kept themselves afloat somehow. But the public have become wise to these gimmicks and had made one of the brother-in-laws get down from the dais when he tried to speak at a election meeting at Cuncolim in 2012.

Then comes Prashant Naik another staunch believer of regional party, former member of UGDP and strong proponent of mother tongue as the only MoI for primary education and also BBSM backer. But since the formation of Goa Forward party he has jumped on to its bandwagon and likely to be its candidate for 2017 general Assembly elections.

He was seen in the company of his party president Prabhakar Timble who categorically announced that parents should have a right to choose the medium of instruction for their wards. Prashant from the core of his soul might not agree with his president but to win Assembly elections, individuals will not only shed their political affiliations but also their ideology.

Vijay Sardessai seems to be a man in a tearing hurry at the same time nervous that his efforts of being the king after 2017 elections may not fructify. Undoubtedly Vijay wants to be in the driver’s chair with all political parties national as well as regional and also individuals agreeing to his dictum. And if at all the gamble plays off he will naturally has a chance to bag the top job in the government formation in 2017. One cannot deny that independent Fatorda MLA has been the most vociferous opposition for the BJP government.

Amche Goem - What will be its fate?

But the general public and voters tend to have a different perspective and opinions when laying their trust in one person. We have already had a bad experience in blindly trusting Manohar Parrikar. Leaving aside allegations that Sardessai has sold Goa’s land to outsiders, not that there is bar on it but a small percentage of people are still emotional about it. Owners might not think twice about selling their land to outsiders but when legislators do it, it has a different connotation, implication and undertone. Hence the people’s imagination is that it is not about taking Goa Forward but grabbing the power. And also the fear of RP 2011 being re-introduced with different packaging with the same actors coming together.

As of now the entire gambit of ‘promoters’ of Goa Forward seems to be embroiled in ‘kichdi’. What it means is that ‘get one, get all and get everybody’ under their wings or rather under their scheme of things to ensure victory for Goa Forward party wins majority at the 2017 elections hustings.  

But the question is can the new party with same old actors save Goa – which has been gang-raped by the Congress and sold to the highest bidder by the BJP. When deciding to vote for Goa Forward party we should not lose sight of schemers, planners of RP 2011which if implemented would obliterate Goa even now.