10 QUESTIONS: BJP HAS LEFT GOA'S FINANCES IN A MESS -- CHENNITHALA Ramesh Chennithala (46) was Kerala's youngest legislator at 25, has been in parliament for four terms, and this former NSUI (Congress student front) leader is now AICC secretary with with independent charge of seven states and Goa.
Sitting in Room 104 -- the Congress 'Press Centre' at the International Centre -- Chennithala directs operations. He tells candidates' aides not to "waste time" as he sends them off to meet different persons. His statement "this is not a Rotary Club election" indicates the importance of Goa 2002 to his party. He speaks to FREDERICK NORONHA explaining the Congress perspective before a critical poll: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: The general perception is that Congress observers made off with a lot of bags (facing insinuations of corruption in ticket allocation). Your comment? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'm very sorry to say that this kind of a (propaganda) campaign is going on. I don't understand why. Basically the candidate's selection was done by local leaders. We are here -- incidentally, I'm a here as an AICC secretary, not an observer -- to coordinate and help. We consider (local leaders') reports. Without the local leadership's opinion nothing has been done. There was an election committee, where all local leaders were invited. The screening committee too. On the Central Election Committee, the PCC president and the CLP head were also present. Observers gave their views on certain key constituencies. Without the local leadership's approval, no selection has been done. In each constituency there are three (or more) candidates. We can select only one winnable candidates. The other two (hopefuls) will naturally allege. That has become a practise. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: So you're saying no money was involved in the ticket-selection process? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nothing. These are all... I'm very pained to say. This is a very unfortunate thing. Who is going to pay money? For what? It is very easy to make an allegation. If anybody has any proof, let them come and talk to us. We will take action. We had gone to so many states. Here the people are going to the press, and allegations are coming. It is very unfortunate to cast aspersions like this. I can say it about you also. That we have given money to (put out) good news. This is not going to help anyone.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: The BJP's plank is good governance, a clean and stable government... ------------------------------------------------------------------------- BJP cannot talk about defections. They engineered defections, and Parrikar is the father of defections. This government is itself a baby of defections. They had not got any mandate to rule Goa. They engineered defections with the help of the Union government. Moreover, they've given a ticket to someone who has defected eight times! ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: What about stability? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- They've not given any stability. In sixteen months, Manohar Parrikar himself dissolved assembly. This election is the contribution of Mr. Parrikar. Talk of a clean government is all bogus. Ministers performed with a lot of corruption. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: We've had an election forced on Goa probably without even a proper Cabinet decision. Even to other controversial actions of the BJP government, the Congress has been slow to react. Your comment? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- On the day of the dissolution itself, our MLAs went to the Governor and Speaker. All means we tried. We attempted our level best. We were not slow. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: Congress has foisted the same old faces that have been dominating state politics for two decades and more. Doesn't Goa deserve change? Isn't the party willing to take the risks apart from these individuals, some of whom are badly discredited by now? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- That's your opinion as a journalist. They are not discredited. They are good candidates. They're going to win the elections. In fact, we've given 8-9 new faces, if not more. (Another Congress observer, former union home minister of state Subodh Kant Sahai, interrupts to argue: "When they go to the BJP they're good. But when they come back to the mother party they're bad people. Is that so?") ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: What was the three best things Congress can claim to have done while in power in Goa for 17 years in Goa? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stability, statehood, and whatever development that can be seen in Goa is the contribution of the Congress party. Under Congress rule only was Goa prosperous. Right from Pandit Nehru onwards, to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, Special care and attention was given to Goa. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: Okay then, what were the three worst things of Congress rule in Goa? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- We learnt a lot of lessons. Now, we will have to keep our flock together. We will not allow defections to take place. That is Number 1. Number 2 is we will have more and more party-oriented programmes. The hold of the Congress party (on the government) is less here. I would like to have a strong and vibrant party (set-up) which can control legislators. This is needed for them to be more committed to the party and to avoid frequent changes (defections). The third is further development activity with total transparency. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: Corruption is obviously a big concern for Goa. Which ever party is in power. What do you'll plan to do on this? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Corruption has become a cancer in society. Not only in Goa, but in the whole of politics and society. Even in the field of defence, whether it's Kargil (the coffin scam, etc) or Tehelka. There should be an effective mechanism to weed out corruption. Total transparency in activity is needed. People should know what's happening. I was an advocate for that, while a minister in Kerala. Why should we hide what's happening? Everything should be known, and parliament should be watchdogs. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- FN: What's your prediction on the polls? ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Congress will get an absolute majority. We're going to form the government. BJP will not cross double-digits. This election will prove BJP is not a factor in Goa. BJP never won in this state. For 16 months, they've done nothing except starting projects that were just started and not followed up. Financially, everything is a mess. If our government comes, it will have a difficult time to run the state (finances). =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-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? 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