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It seems clear that the B.J.P is engineering a divide and rule policy, which in the end will become a, just rule policy. If the Goans in Goa don't wake up to this fact, irrespective of how good this present Government governs, it will only be a matter of time when we shall have carnage in Goa. Voters should stand up and be counted - a good solid opposition is good for democracy. cheers Gabe. BJP's ATTEMPT TO RE-ENGINEER CONSTITUENCIES SLAMMED >From Pamela D'Mello Panaji (GOA) :The ruling BJP's attempt to re-engineer the state's assembly constitutencies to its benefit while decimating opposition segments, has led to the opposition crying foul. Some have accused the local BJP government of skewing the exercise and providing "biased inputs" to the Central Delimitation Commission, set up under a Central 2002 Act. Goa's geographical areas are strongly divided by religious and caste lines, and the re-drawing of electoral constituencies could give contenders for power an edge. This was seen after the last delimitation in 1988 undertaken when the Congress was in power shortly after Goa became a seperate state in 1987. The rearrangement now seeks to carve out new sectarian vote banks, fragmenting Congress strongholds and consolidating the ruling BJP areas to its advantage, MLAs complain. The new draft delimitation exercise presented by the Goa government and approved by the Central delimitation commission headed by Justice Kuldeep Singh will come up for discussion before the commission's associate member body followed by other hearings for objections. This consists of mainly BJP MLAs, in a 40-seat Assembly where the BJP won just 17 seats in the May 2002 elections. "With 6 BJP MLAs and MPs and only a single Congress MLA on the associate committee, its appointment is patently illegal and skewed," complains former Congress CM Luizinho Faleiro. He took his plaint of "dispropotionate representation" to the Commission, on being turned down by the Speaker. Meanwhile the draft being circulated here, appears to have left untouched only three BJP segments of Panaji (represented by the BJP Chief Minister for the past two terms), Margao (won by BJP second ranking minister) and Fatorda (another BJP-held seat). Two Congress-held segments have been completely reorganised altering their old names, while one in Pernem, won by articulate Congressman and its honorary Viscount Jeetendra Deshprabhu, has been reserved for Scheduled Castes, which could sideline the Congressman who won by surprise in this long non-Congress seat for two terms. In other areas, Christian aboriginal groups have been split across segments, thus possibly diminishing the chance of block-voting by a section that feels strongly disempowered in contemporary Goa. The current exercise has refuelled speculation that the state may see a mid-term poll. Analysts believe the BJP could make calculations to target a majority, so it doesnt have to depend on disparate allies to rule the tiniest state assembly in the country. It now heads a four-party shaky coalition, and appears to have even antagonised some of them in the proposed redivision. Objections are likely to be raised mainly from the affected opposition segments, but almost all consist of geographically contiguious areas, weakening any legal argument.(ends) _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.goanet.org/mailman/listinfo/goanet
