--__--__-- > Message: 5 > From: "Tim de Mello" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> There is one interesting set of figures from this final tally. That is > Margao voted in favour of the BJP when most other populated ares in the > south voted for Congress: > MARGAO 5884 7506 > Can anyone explain why Margao voted this way? > Tim de Mello > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > CANADA Interesting question. Goa lacks sufficient studies on how its voters respond; journalists are probably not the best placed to undertake these, as studies-in-a-hurry don't throw up adequate answers. Prof Peter Rony de Souza, before he shifted to Delhi, had studied some elections. His categorisation was on the basis of 'Old Conquest North', 'New Conquest North', 'Old Conquest South' and 'New Conquest South'. This would suggest that Goa's history, and its resultant religious differences, play a strong role today too, as would geography. There are other factors. Urban trends do run against rural ones, because of differences either based on class, religion or caste. In West Bengal, the Left, for instance, has been weak in the cities (eg Kolkata). If one recalls right, the Akali base is in rural Punjab. In Goa, urban areas like Margao and Panjim would have a differing caste-community profile from the surrounding rural areas. Probably this has something to do with migration to the urban areas by the trading sections, which in Goa also happen to be 'upper' caste. BJP, across India and probably in Goa too, has got a higher support from the 'upper' castes. Mapusa, on the other hand, has been politically considered to be a Vaisha (intermediary, trader caste) stronghold. Which probably explains why Manohar Parrikar would prefer to contest the complex seat of Panjim rather than Mapusa himself where he is otherwise based. There are also other factors at play -- like urbanisation, the role of the media (particular television), the size of the bureaucracy and the white-collar worker, etc. The more important point emerging is that Churchill won because he could extend his appeal to beyond just the segment of Catholic voters, and didn't have to depend on a religious-based polarisation. Conversely, those political forces that depend on one group or another (whether it's the BJP or Dr Wilfred de Souza) would be far more hardpressed to make up the numbers from a smaller support base. This says something about the diverse nature of our society, and the need why tolerance of diversity makes sense. --FN ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
