www.oherald.com dated May 14, 2002 POLITICAL TUNES
Chaotic scenes at Cong House CONGRESS HOUSE witnessed chaotic scenes this Monday morning. Favourites among the aspirants to the four assembly constituencies, had all gathered at the office and awaiting their fate with bathed breath. At 11.05 am the office received a fax from Delhi suppose to have the four candidates’ names of which only three were readable — Trajon D’Mello (Saligao), Premnath Maulingkar (Tivim) and Armindo Braganza (Mapusa). The fourth name though printed was illegible. Former MP John Fernandes called up Delhi only to be told by State incharge Ramesh Chennithala that he was trying to re-fax the copy but was not succeeding. Meanwhile Francis Fernandes who was camping in Delhi for the last few days and had emerged as a strong contender for the Siolim seat, appeared jittery and sweating all over. Little did the officials in the Congress House realise that the fax in the Congress House was devoid of paper role and was the cause of problems for all and sundry. Only when the hitch was rectified the fresh fax copy came through did Francis Fernandes walked out of the office with his head high and his beaming wife in tow. Trajon Saligao women’s man! ITS A MAN’S WORLD they say. But for Trajon D’Mello and his Saligao Block Congress, the women mean everything or atlest it seemed to be. When most of the candidates who came to file nomination, at the Deputy Collector’s office in Mapusa, had men as majority of their supporters, Trajon had the women. Infact this diarist overheard Trajon ordering one of his aide, "arre, tea bailank hoir apoi re," (hey, call the women up, in the deputy collector’s office) as he was about to file his nomination papers. And up they did come, and stayed put for more than three hours, until Trajon did his job! Cong contender hurt SOME WERE BRIMMING with joy, while some were sorrowing. Sangeeta Parab the top Congress contender in Mandrem till Friday, appeared most hurt, as she was seen complaining to each and every Congress candidate at the deputy collector’s office, Mapusa, the treatment meted by the Congress bigwigs in the State and at the Centre. "I have always been loyal to the party and this is what I get," she said to one, in a choked voice. "Till Saturday morning, my name was on top of the list. And this traitor (Ramakant Khalap) walks-in and walks-out with honours," she bemoaned. "Though I am filing my nomination as an Independent, I am still a Congress worker and will remain so," Ms Sangeeta said almost in tears. While Sangeeta’s was a tale of woe, for Jeetendra Deshprabhu, from Pernem it was time to show his strength. Deshprabhu had ferried a bus-load of supporters, the largest amongst all, who had come to file their nominations. Mr Deshprabhu sported a big smile throughout his presence in the deputy collector’s office. Armindo Braganza the Mapusa candidate was the most excited of the lot. He was spotted hugging each and every person who approached to congratulate him. A taste of his exuberance came when this diarist and a reporter from the vernacular press received a warm hug from Armindo, much to their embarrassment. Last comes first Nobody knows what the criterion of the Congress was in selecting candidates. Perhaps when it came to nominating ‘defectors’, it appears they went by who jumped (joined them) last. Because, Jose Philip D’Souza who was the first minister to resign from the Parrikar government, was not considered for the ticket. The others who were either dropped from the cabinet or resigned, found favours with the High Command. These included Sanjay Bandekar, Ramakant Khalap and finally Ravi Naik to top it all. And what surprised everyone was announcement of their candidature as their joining the party was not made public. Tickets were being given even before they had joined the party. Congress and caste politics If BJP is being accused of being communal, Congress will take the cake for being casteist, at least in one constituency. Not that political parties do not believe in caste equations. They always do. But here it was abundantly clear when it was made public. How did the name of former MGP chief Surendra Sirsat come in the picture as a prospective candidate? Had he joined the Congress? It was not important for the Congress whether the principal of a higher secondary school had been with the party or not. He had some well-wishers and they had lobbied for him.Was Congress bankrupt for candidates in Mapusa? At that time, the Congress had at least five aspirants for Mapusa ticket. The sole reasoning behind Congress initially agreeing for Sirsat was that he belongs to the caste none of the other aspirants belong to. The caste which is predominant in Mapusa - Vaishya . In the last two elections too, the Congress had gone by the same vaishya samaj factor. It was only when the Congress leaders threatened to revolt, that the Congress High Command changed the decision. People’s mandate and defectors After a hue and cry against ‘defectors’, it is to be seen whether the ‘defectors’ would be shown the door or not. The Congress has done it once again. They can’t do without them. They have rewarded all defectors and scamstars who showed winnability in them. The Church has also come out with a advice to its flock: to keep away corrupt, communalist and defectors. However, quite a many from those who wanted the perennial defectors out, are finding them tolerable. "After all, they have done lot of development in the constituency. This seems to be the justification to bring back the ‘defectors’ to the Goa assembly. Ajib hai Goa ke log. This may once again come true for Goans. Watch out on the results day. Tailpiece I Everything is fair in love and war So, what is wrong with Ravi? Even if he ‘was once’ communal, He is still a Bhandari II The lotus is saffron The hand demands a ton The watch is all false gilt The leaves are in state of wilt The light house is dim The sickle’s chances grim The lion is toothless And the voter, clueless. _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
