Goa watched by nation as small state's polls near, voters seem disinterested
By Frederick Noronha PANAJI (Goa), May 22: For a change, the small state of Goa is in the focus of political watchers across India. But interest in the home state is itself at a low-ebb among the 913,000 odd voters eligible to vote in the May 30 elections. Defections, the lack of ideology, political corruption, and a BJP government which lasted 16 months in power mainly on the numbers of MLAs elected to power as Congressmen has contributed to the cynicism among the average voter. Smaller regional parties -- like the MGP-UGDP alliance, and the Goa Suraj Party -- show little signs of being able to take on the clout, organisational skills and money-power of bigger national parties. BJP and Congress are the main contestants for power. But the Nationalist Congress Party and the Shiv Sena could play the role of major spoilers and upset the results in some constituencies. Goa's 40-seat legislative assembly goes in for mid-term elections, after it was dissolved prematurely in end-February on the advice of chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who feared a revolt among some legislators from his Bharatiya Janata Party. Parrikar-led BJP came to power in October 2000, after defections and floor-crossings pulled down the government of Francisco Sardinha, a Congress rebel whom the BJP had itself brought to power around a year prior. Travelling around the state indicates voter interest ranging from low to apathetic. Contesting candidates have hoever been working hard to build up the tempo mainly using jeeps and vans mounted with loudspeakers, blaring messages and songs of the varied political parties. House-to-house campaigns are also undertaken by candidates in this small state where constituency sizes average about 20,000 voters each. "(Congress candidate) Joaquim Alemao is strong here, and there is also candidate (BJP's) Julio D'Silva," explains a woman-shop owner near the village square of Chandor, dominated by an imposing church painted white. Salcete is Goa's only Catholic majority taluka. BJP which lacks a toehold here has faced charges of propping up regional parties, particularly the United Goans Democratic Party, to cut into the Congress' chances. In places like Shiroda and other parts of the state, which has a Hindu majority, the battle is clearly between parties like the BJP, or the regional Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) and the rightwing saffron-flagged Shiv Sena -- all of which have been trying to garner support from Hindu voters' support -- and the Congress. Polls in Goa have long seen voters polarised on the basis of religion. But it is not clear how the polarisation of the voter will take place, or whether most of the vote would remain with the BJP which has dominated state politics -- with corruption discrediting the Congress, and the BJP also benefitting from defections in a big way. BJP's chances could improve if the minorities don't vote in number, either due to disinterest, cynicism or apathy. But there have been many twists in the fortunes of the major combatants for power, the BJP and the Congress here. Initially, till early this year, the BJP rode high on its resurgent image nationwide. But a number of setbacks at the national level seems to have turned the tide. In particular, the Gujarat carnage is seen as affecting the party's chances. Ironically, Prime Minister Vajpayee's hardline Hindutva speech at Campal Grounds in Goa, during the party's national executive meet here, was counter-productive, and played a role in unsettling BJP's deputy chief minister Ravi Naik. Naik who had already been allotted a BJP ticket for Ponda, a constituency with around 4000 Muslims, a significant size in a state where seats have under 20,000 voters on average. He jumped over to the Congress, while the nomination process was on, leading to chaos in the BJP who's election propaganda material already prominently displayed Ravi Naik's photo. Later on, early in the election campaign, the Congress was seen as riding an upswing. But the allocation of tickets to a number of controversial and defection-oriented politicians, in at least one-third of the 40 seats, has led to considerable disenchantment among its supporters. "What I'm willing to go on record saying is that I couldn't carry on in the race for a ticket, simply because I didn't have the money to keep on fighting," said unsucessful Congress ticket aspirant for state-capital Panaji, Dr Sushruta Martins. Congress has faced charges here of having charged huge sums -- allegedly amounting to Rs 30 lakh in some cases -- from nominees wanting its tickets. For a change, top-ranking politicians headed down to Goa to campaign for the BJP and the Congress. For both, this is a prestigious poll. BJP hopes to reverse the tide after losing four states in a row nationwide. But this is not going to be easy. Chief minister Parrikar's image as a pushy leader who dominated his colleagues, the BJP's role in ditching many of its allies and defectors who came over to its side, and the 'upper caste' tag stuck to it during its year-and-half stint in power in Goa are not helping the party. But the BJP is pulling no stops at attempting a comeback. BJP's home minister L K Advani, law minister Jaitley, IT minister Pramod Mahajan, minister Sushma Swaraj, Gopinath Munde and others have made a beeline to Goa. Congress to has had some of its leaders camping here as 'observers', with others like Delhi CM Sheila Dixit coming in for campaigning. 'Observers' from Delhi have been camping for many weeks. For the Congress, a win here could underline its resurgent image, with the BJP suffering from an anti-incumbent factor nationwide. But its controversial allocation of tickets is likely to cause disenchantment among voters, and some here are already predicting a 'hung' assembly, with no party getting a clear majority. But, that too, might not stop the Big Two -- BJP and Congress -- from trying to form their own government with the support of defectors. Election propaganda has been pushed up in parts of the state, with noisy vehicles blaring out their messages from late morning, through to the afternoon, typical siesta-time in parts of the state. Long motorcades bearing flags and banners of the bigger parties are visible, with some reports saying those parading flags on their vehicles were getting paid to do so on a daily-basis, in some cases. Reports reaching here said in Aldona constituency, some 15 kms from here, a national party candidate was offering four-wheeler owners Rs.500 per week and a two-wheeler rider Rs.200 per day if they sport party flag on their vehicles. In Sanvordem, in South Goa, an independent candidate has allegedly offered around 300 brand new motorbikes to a section of the electorate. The bikes will be registered in their names only on June 5, after the elections results are out, said reports in the local media. In Taleigao, a high profile candidate is wooing the young electorate by offering them mobile phone sets, persistent reports say. ENDS ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ To unsubscribe from Goanews Send a mail message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: 'unsubscribe goanews'
