ELECTIONS 2004: Goa likely to spring a few surprises ---------------------------------------------------- Devika Sequeira in Deccan Herald, May 2, 2004
http://www.deccanherald.com Parties await the outcome of the high turnout in the Lok Sabha election in Goa. The result of the of the Lok Sabha election in Goa will be interesting for two reasons: it would reveal the extent of the BJP�s reach or limitation within this state, where it has yet to attain a majority on its own. It will also test the effectiveness of the Congress-NCP alliance which had triggered so much rancour within Congress ranks before the launch of campaign. Goa voted for two seats in the second phase of the poll, and the trends made it clear that only the Congress-NCP combine and the BJP ran the final race. The regional United Goans� Democratic Party (UGDP) and the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), besides the Shiv Sena and CPI which had fielded candidates for both seats, can at best hope to have played marginal roles in this bout. Considering the searing summer that has gripped the Konkan region, the cashew and mango plucking season and the laid-back holiday mood, the 13 per cent increase in voter turnout from the 45 per cent in the last election to the 58 per cent in this one, becomes significant to the outcome. It must be read with the ground realities that dominated the election here, first being the focus on local issues, and second, the role and effect of the Catholic Church. In areas where Catholics dominate the vote, like Salcette taluka in South Goa, polling was particularly high and crossed the 60 per cent margins in a number of polling booths. Minorities hold forty per cent of the vote in South Goa, and Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar who had camped out in the area for a month, had made an all-out bid to woo this segment. North Goa In North Goa too, where the NCP�s Dr Wilfred De Souza took on the BJP�s Union Minister Sripad Naik, the high voter turnout in Assembly constituencies where Christians have a presence like Tivim, Siolim, Calangute, Saligao and Aldona, has left the NCP hopeful. Political observers here believe the Church campaign which had chastised the India Shining hype and urged voters to elect secular parties would help the Congress-NCP cause to a considerable extent in this election. "Over 70,000 of our voters did not come out to vote in 1999,"points out Congress pradesh committee chief Luizinho Faleiro. Emasculated by factionalism in the last election, the Congress had conceded South Goa to the BJP in 1999 by a 14,000 vote margin. The NCP too, had cut into its turf. �The Congress was fighting the Congress in the last election,� Mr Parrikar remarked last Wednesday. This was not the case this time. Closing ranks against the chief minister who faces a rising undercurrent of discontent in political and social circles here, Congress MLAs and leaders, even in constituencies like Ponda, Shiroda, Ponguinim, Canacona, Santa Cruz and Valpoi, where the BJP has made strong inroads, were positioned near polling booths and on the field to ensure voter turnout. Just as this election result could be crucial to the stability of Mr Parrikar's government, voting patterns assembly-constituency wise will reveal the extent to which the Congress-NCP alliance would carry forward in the state elections. Resentment There was resentment in Congress quarters for having to concede the North Goa seat to the NCP which has minimal presence in North Goa. The absence of the hand symbol and the lack of groundwork by the NCP is also believed to have annoyed the Congress. But the voting trend shows that Dr De Souza has put up a strong fight against Mr Naik and the result is expected to produce a much reduced margin. �If we lose North Goa, it will be put down to a lack of co-ordination between the Congress and NCP. If we win, it will be only the beginning of Parrikar's problems,� Congress supporters crowed. Devika Sequeira in Panaji ########################################################################## # 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 # ##########################################################################
