While in power our Ministers and MLAs thrived and thrilled, inaugurating public toilets, culverts and even provision stores. With the election code now in place and unable to lay any more of their favourite foundation stones, our politicians are now busy attending every funeral, wedding, baptism and birthday party to make their presence felt and in an attempt to build new bridges and mend broken ones.
It is obvious their presence at funerals is not to bid farewell to the departed but to seek good will from those alive and kicking. With elections to be held in four weeks time, the partying has already started. Though officially every aspirant dreaming of getting elected can only spend three lakhs it is no secret that on average the serious candidates have to shell a crore or two in order to keep any hope of reaching the finishing line. In some hotly contested constituencies a candidate�s total expenses could touch a 4 crore figure. As has been proved, such an investment in Indian Politics could reap rich dividends and it does not take our MLAs long to make over and above what they have put in. As a matter of routine the tales of our MLAs speak of "from rags to riches" and this says it all. The people of Goa have also wised up. They know elections are the only time they can receive the attention and goodwill of the politicians so they make the best of it. Election time is also a good time to carry out any illegal constructions or to complete the one you started last elections. It is a season when the powers to be and the authorities will not raise an eyebrow. Elections are no longer a matter of manifestos and ideologies. The people know that once elected the MLA'S are only focussed on amassing wealth so there is no reason the public should be denied a share of the pie. And it is only during elections that the voters can snatch their share. Within its short tenure the communal and casteist BJP outfit led by Mr. Manohar Parrikar has amassed a lot of money, most of it in the name of so called "party funds". But even all this money may not mellow the common Goan who seems to be outraged by the dictatorial and selfish way in which this IIT alumni has conducted himself on the Chair he grabbed through the back door. With Ariel Sharon hanging on to Gaza and Gen. Musharraf clinging on to the Presidency, will Mr Parrikar come up with some way to refuse to depart even when the votes are counted. Anything is possible from an unpredictable, rash and careless Chief Minister. Aires Rodrigues Ribandar =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-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? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
