On 5 February 2010 20:49, Valmiki Faleiro <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Armstrong, > I can't possibly imagine Churchill on Facebook. > If there is a thing called *Pocket*book, he might > possibly be there.
Why not? Things started with a devoted band of Manohar Parrikar-ites jumping into the Goan space in cyberspace, defending his record (while in power) and helping to make his opponents look a shade dirtier. Nobody bothers too much about the fact that his opponents of today were his loyalists yesterday. We had the Shantaram Naiks, the Eduardo Faleiros and other Congressmen being more open about their identities, loyalities and politics. Then, activists, journalists and miscellaneous citizens have their own preferences and perceptions. Last week, I was surprised to see someone that someone was taking the trouble -- this is something I've seen after such a long time -- to key-in a lengthy report from a newspaper which is not available online, and question Manohar Parrikar's record. I'm sure the other politicians -- including Chachil -- will soon take the cue from the business world, which believes that social networking tools can be "good for business" too. They're going about making a self-fulfilling prophecy of this... why shouldn't amchem self-appointed-if-not-rejected-by-the-electorate netas do likewise? It's quite another question whether they manage in convincing everyone. But in a first-past-the-post system -- where 30% to 40% may not vote or not be around on voting day, there is some element of impersonation, and the remaining vote gets split among three major contenders -- you don't have to convince all people for all times! Just swinging a tiny percentage of the vote can do the trick ... specially in Goa's constituencies known for the wafer-thin majorities. Then, of course, we'll have the voter being blamed for not choosing "wise" politicians! And some Goanetter sitting in Toledo will tell us how easy it is to "change the system" for the better by simply choosing better people. FN
