DECCAN HERALD=20 Monday, June 3, 2002 =20 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Voter disenchantment costs Goa Cong dearly From=20Devika Sequeira DH News Service PANAJI, June 2 The Congress' reversal of fortunes in Goa, caused by the party's failure to take into account the groundswell of resentment against its poor selection of candidates and the failed alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has cost it dearly, allowing the BJP to make deep inroads into this secular State. The Congress had cruised to power here in the last five consecutive elections: 1980, 1984, 1989, 1994 and 1999. An analysis of yesterday's results shows most of the damage to the Congress in this election came not from the BJP directly, but the regional United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) and the NCP.=20 Taking advantage of the anti-incumbency factor, the UGDP took three major seats from the Congress, and knocked out its former ministers Churchill Alemao (in Benaulim), Somnath Zuwarkar (Taleigao) and Mauvin Godinho (in Cortalim). The regional party also contributed to the Congress loss in Fatorda, where beer baron Francisco Monte Cruz, turned rebel and contested as an UGDP candidate. Mr Cruz's presence took a sizeable 3,992 votes from the Congress' Luis Alex Cardozo and allowed the BJP a sneak win with a 582 vote margin. Quick to sense the trend, the BJP, it is rumoured, infused the UGDP with substantial doses of finances to damage the Congress in Catholic-dominated areas. A division of votes between the Congress and NCP again, saw the Tivim, Siolim and Vasco seats being virtually gifted to the BJP. An ace strategist and highly ambitious politician, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar is known to have planned months ahead for this election outcome. It is hardly surprising then, that the Congress is accusing him of "misuse" of government machinery three months ahead of the election with the extensive tranfer of government officials and the redeployment of police staff. The Life Insurance Corporation of India was instructed by the Election Commission to stop issuing welfare pension cheques, after the Congress complained that these were being misused by the chief minister as election propaganda. Over 20,000 cheques are believed to have gone into the hands of BJP workers alone. From=20all indications today, the BJP was set to form the next government here with the help of two UGDP (the third one, Mr Matanhy Saldanha turned down the offer) and two MGP MLAs. But the party, which had launched a blistering campaign against 'tainted' Congress candidates in this election, could see its image take a beating with the alliance. Neither of the two UGDP MLAs are untouched by scandals. One of them, a known loan shark, was not long ago under investigation by the Parrikar government for an alleged sex scandal. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- =A9 Copyright, 1999 The Printers (Mysore)Ltd.=20 [E-mail to Editor] [Main Page..Text Version] [Main Page..Graphic Version] ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ To unsubscribe from Goanews Send a mail message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: 'unsubscribe goanews'
