Just a few days ago Manohar Parrikar had said that he would limit the next cabinet to eight Ministers. He has now, once again, sworn in a 13 member jumbo cabinet. We know that Mr Parrikar will dismiss it as political compulsion. So what makes him different from the rest when he cannot honour any principles or promises made?
He dissolved the assembly on Feb 27th, as he could not continue with a fractured mandate. What he has got now is not only a fractured but also a bitterly battered and bruised mandate. So not only was the whole exercise in vain but it cost the taxpayer a hefty three crore rupees. While the opposition kept fighting their ego battles, Mr Parrikar, a crafty manipulator that he is, used the whole government machinery to run the campaign for him. It is no secret that the elections were not free and fair. Thousands of names were surprisingly deleted from the voters list. Even those who had voted in the recent Panchayat and Municipal polls were aghast to find their names missing. It was all a part of the election results fixing game that Mr Parrikar so thoroughly planned and included financing some independent and fringe party candidates. The results show that if the Congress and NCP had got their act together they would have swept at least another five seats, giving the secular forces a clear majority. The BJP and Mr Manohar Parrikar spoke so much about corruption but have now inducted so many totally tainted and highly corrupt elements in his 13 member cabinet. It is heartening to note that at least one woman has been elected to the Assembly. The BJP that spoke so much about women’s empowerment did not field a single lady except a symbolic one in Benaulim, a seat that the BJP knew it could never win. The Election Commission permits each candidate to spend only to a limit of three lakhs. It is no secret that some candidates spent over three crores to get elected. It all happened so openly under the eyes of all the Election Commission officials who took no action. Elections are never cheap and things can only get worse. Those who spent a lot and failed to get elected may have to find another way to recover their expenses. Politicians in Goa always find a way. For now Goa will have to live with a Government led by the communal and casteist BJP. If it survives this monsoon it can hope to cling on to power but the events of the next few months will decide the fate of this motley group that has taken over the reins of Amchem Goem. Aires Rodrigues Ribandar =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-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 !!
