Interesting tag lines on election banners in Benaulim constituency -- By Nisser Dias

Elections 2017 are fast approaching but the fever is yet to catch up. Nonetheless candidates, probable’s, aspirants are going all out to catch the eyeballs of the voters.

Of the banners that are fluttering in the space, among the coconut trees et al makes interesting reading. In some cases like Calangute the banners bring aspirants to blows with each other, elsewhere the tag lines are either punchy or meant to take a dig at the opponent otherwise it is simply to take the voters for a ride for another five years.

While the situation in Benaulim assembly constituency is simmering with Congress yet to declare its candidate, so far the battle of banners is between the Goa Vikas Party MLA Caetano Silva (Caitu), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Churchill Alemao and Royla Fernandes for Aam Admi Party (AAP).

AAP was the first party to put up banners in the constituency with a tag line ‘Vote for honest politics’. Then came NCP candidate with its banners with various punch lines like ‘Leader of masses’, ‘Man of masses’, ‘Let’s develop Benaulim constituency together’ and ‘Let’s transform Benaulim into a model constituency’.

Some days back GVP MLA Caitu Silva’s banners have appeared in the constituency which proclaims, ‘For continuation of peace and development’. The MLA’s banner neither speaks of the party he is going to represent nor whether he is going to go it alone as independent. Not to forget that he actively supported the BJP government in the state.

Various people have reacted to these tag lines in more or less predictably, Ganciano Colaco said, “AAP is contesting in Goa for the first time so it does not carry any baggage of corruption. Secondly it brings is some options and choice and their candidate Royla is educated and brings in freshness unlike others in the race, so their tag line sounds fine. About the other tag lines less said it better because constituents know about it”.

Another voter compared Churchill Alemao to a brand that has lost its shelf life, “only when the sale of a particular product starts dipping then they have use all sorts of gimmicks to keep people hooked to the product”. “Churchill was like a top brand before where he had voters eating out of his hand, but over the years people have become wiser of his tricks as he has made politics his career and only source of money said, Saturnino Rodgriues.

“Churchill’s banners say that “Let’s transform or develop Benaulim, I wonder what he was doing all the tenures we elected him from Benaulim constituency”. “Then why should Benaulim people vote for a person who was put in Colvale jail for his alleged involvement in Louis Berger scam”? questioned Joaquim Dias.

Another constituent when asked to comment on the banner put up by sitting MLA questioned about the development, “the incomplete bridge connecting Benaulim and Sinquetim initiated by Churchill Alemao was stalled by MLA Caitu Silva, today it is monumental proof of lack of development, then underground cabling, water enhancement under Jica was again passed during Churchill but he is taking the credit, the main road was done up because of BRICS summit but internal road which were dug continue to be in bad shape, is this called development”.

However and constituent F. Furtado begged to differ and said many of internal road has been laid with pre-mix carpet during the last five year term.

Yet another voter who preferred to by anonymous said, “the current MLA on his own has not brought in any development but has remained faithful to the ruling party and now wants to distance itself from BJP to garner votes from the minority community”.