The people of Goa were shocked to learn that Ms
Nirmala Prabhakar Sawant ex MLA of 14- Cumbarjua
Assembly Constituency, Tiswadi ex Minister for
Power, ex-Goa Pradesh Congress Committee, President, a
staunch loyalist, quit the Indian National Party on
11th May 2005 dealing the second stunning blow to the
INC bye-election stakes in Goa, the first being the
INC Party High Command's decision to give the
Benaulim Constituency seat to the NCP candidate Mr
Francisco (Mickey) Pacheco when the local INC party
unit had earlier stated that all five contituencies
Taleigao, Cumbarjua, Benaulim,Margao and Poinguinim
would be contested by INC Party only and tickets would
be given to those that "sacrificed" their seats for
the downfall of the Parrikar regime.
So damaging was the situation following the
resignation that All India Congress Committee General
Secretary looking after the Goa desk Ms Margaret Alva
took the assistance of Dr Wilfred Anthony De Souza the
lone Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)MLA from the
Saligao Constituency to plead with Ms Sawant to
withdraw her resignation.
The crowds at her residence five hundred metres from
the Banastarim bridge was evidence of support and
respect she commands in the constituency, who have now
compelled her to contest as the people's candidate as
an INDEPENDENT.
This writer had a brief tele-talk with Ms Sawant on
12th morning. Ms Sawant bluntly admitted, though in a
gentle tone, that Mr Pandurang Madkaikar (the
candidate who she had contested against unsuccessfully
in the June 2002 elections) had
a) changed parties frequently (First he quit the INC
party then contested and was elected on 1/6/2002 on
MGP ticket. Later resigned from the MGP and joined the
BJP (before the amended anti defection law came into
force) Then resigned from BJP and now re-joined the
INC party -- )but all for his "personal gains"
(interestingly it was brought to the notice of this
writer some time ago that the youthful Mr Madkaikar is
an upcoming real estate developer and has in sheer
violation of the ASI regulations built his bungalow
within the 100 metres prohibited area of the Bom Jesus
Basilica Old Goa)
b) using the "party" for his personal gains
and therefore as a loyal party worker (incidentally
she is just one of the few loyal workers who has never
ever defected to any other party right from inception
--unlike the majority in the INC party Legislatures
and the INC organisational unit) she felt humiliated
to continue with such a party where loyalty is at a
discount.
But when this writer had a tele-talk with Mr Emidio
Monteiro ex INC member who contested as an Independent
he was not in agreement of Ms Sawants view.
He felt that Ms Sawant too benefitted from the INC
apparently referring to the properous Barge repairs
industry of her family.
He also stated that when he contested as an
Independent he was asked by Ms Sawant then not to
split the votes
Again he states that Ms Sawant was amply rewarded for
her loyalty she was given the ticket to contest thrice
in the past and could win only once.
To refute this Ms Sawant had earlier stated that it
is not her intention to contest as an Independent but
it is her party workers who have compelled her to do
so to avenge the humiliation meted out to her.
There is no doubt on the credentials of this school
teacher whose father a freedom fighter was mercilessly
tortured to death by the erstwhile Portuguese regime.
Ms Sawant holds reveres the sacrifice of her father to
the cause of the freedom struggle and her loyalty to
the INC party stems from this singular event that has
left an indelible mark on her psyche.
This writer was given to understand by a INC party
office bearer that prior to this drastic step Ms
Sawant met the Indian National Congress President
Madam Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi to explain her stand.
She was asked to meet the Goa Desk In-charge Ms
Margaret Alva who was then away in Kerala, but it
seems the INC Party had made up their minds that Ms
Sawant could wait -- for the moment those five that
had made the "sacrifice to unseat Parrikar " need to
be rewarded and this was final. Which meant she would
have to campaign for the "defector' now a member of
her party and this she was the cause of the
resignation.
Sadly one veteran INC voter from St Estevam this
writer contact stated that the Indian National
Congress Party's Constitution as amended by AICC
meeting at Delhi on 18th December 1998 and its Rules
as approved by the Congress Working Committee on 16th
January & 17th March, 1999 despite a clear cut role
for "primary" and "active" members is blissfully
silent on those like Madkaikar and others -who
change party loyalties as frequently as they do their
undergarments.
This writer spoke to several others in her
constituency to gauge their opinion. About the
loyalty to the INC party no one denies it even her
worst critics agree that she is an INC loyalist may
remain an INC loyalist ever after. They fel
