Thanks Bevinda for your thoughtful response. I would not loose heart on Goa and Goans.
Look what Biharis (I think) did to Laloo Prasad and his party. From my distant vision, Goan politicians may be considered 'small fry' compared to the Delhi King-Maker. Similarly, the baihas (people) of UP told Indira Gandhi about their opinion of her and her party in spite of she being a PM and had a dynasty of services to the electorate over 45 years. Goa has a higher literacy rate than the above two states. But my experience of the people from the two states, whom I met in Mumbai, they do not make / buy excuses. The elections in India are held every 5 years. And in Goa a lot more often.:=)) Every time, the Goa press and other Goan leaders (including the politicians) keep blaming Delhi ani bhaile. And I assume most of the supurlem Goenkars keep buying it. :=)) Just my view. Regards Bevinda Collaco: Generally, people elect the government they deserve - take the US and George Bush. But here in Goa, the dynamics are different; it does not matter which party we elect. We could be voting a secular yet corrupt government into power or a communal but more efficient party. In the end the stable government we hope for turns out to be just that, a place for horse-trading. Yesterday's enemies become today's friends and vice-versa. And then there are politicians like Mathany Saldanha who was crucified because he refused to be as he said, "a jumping frog". Gilbert: > As a rule, I do not respond to internal politics of Goa or any other place. Since I am not a resident of the place and have no business opining on it. > > However the following first paragraph caught my eye and my tickled logic. This is not a rebuttal or a thread that I want to start. But just a philosophical thought I would like to place on the net for Goans every where to ponder. > > Who rules Goa (or any other place) is not a political party or politicians who want to rule. In a democracy, who rules are the people who are elected by the residents. Hence Gonsalves' admonition should not be to the politicians and the parties but to the Goan electorate. > > If Goans re-elect floor-crosses, back-stabbers, corrupt and indicted politicians then they should expect more of the same, whichever the political party. Goa is a democracy. Let's not blame the politicians be they in Panaji or in Delhi. This is another example of a Goan crutch which Cornel alludes to. > Regards, GL > > godfrey gonsalves: > The Indian National Congress in Goa has still to come to grips with the ground reality if they are to rule the State in the near future. Having been out of > power since October 2000 for well over 4 years and three months the veteran MLAs of the Party should have realised to maintain not a SEMBLANCE OF UNITY - either by show of hands or being photographed as brothers/sister in arms but by Unity wedded to the ideology of the oldest political party in India. > >