With those votes counted the curtains came down on that pointless and insignificant Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections which were held in controversial circumstances, the validity of which will be decided by the High Court which is already seized of the matter.
With a fragmented Opposition besides being overloaded with money power, empowered with muscle Power and with the entire state machinery at their beck and call it is no wonder that the BJP comfortably cruised through. It was not a level playing field as the BJP candidates unofficially new the polling date well in advance. The various political parties would have to introspect on the results. The BJP would also have to do a post-mortem as to why some of its strong holds crashed while in some it just scraped through and as to why its plot failed to win by tactfully making the party symbol Lotus in some constituencies invisible on the ballot paper. These ZP elections will have no impact on the 2022 Assembly polls as that would be a different ball game altogether. Nothing can and should be read into the outcome of this futile election. Many people saw this election as a waste of time and money, a danger to their health and a gross disrespect for the safety and health of the people from a destructive pandemic and chose to vote with their feet by not venturing out into the danger zone. The Government has now once again assured that more powers would be devolved to the ZPs. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating. We have for the last many years been repeatedly promised that Mining and the very vital Mhadei issue will be resolved very soon. But that day does not seem to dawn. So, any assurances made are a reality only when it’s all done and dusted. Bill Clinton, the 42nd President of America famously said, ‘No wonder Americans hate politics when, year in and year out, they hear politicians make promises that won’t come true because they don’t even mean them, campaign fantasies that win elections but don’t get nations moving again.’ The same can be said of our Government who for several years has a string of broken promises to their name. Promises are worse than lies. Cause you make others hope, hope for something that you are not sure you can give. A promise means everything. But once it is broken, Sorry means Nothing! Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: airesrodrigu...@gmail.com Or airesrodrig...@yahoo.com You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com