Goan political system - Why we elect inefficient candidates.
Goans are often criticized as guilty of choosing unworthy candidates / voter turnout is poor. Are the electorate really naïve? What is the motivation for them to vote?
40 MLAs elected by the people of Goa. But in reality, it is 40 MLAs of 40 constituencies, each MLA being elected by their respective constituency. An MLA candidate regardless of how he /she is perceived across the state, needs the mandate of his / her particular "constituency" to get elected, regardless of the fact that majority of people across the state would not vote for him / her.
Looking at how the US & UK voters vote, we see in the US, you have two political ideologies, Democrat & Republican. In these two, the American voter knows the kind of governance he / she can expect, as the policies & goals of each ideology are consistent. Each ideology has its policies with regards to its vision, economy, law & order, social & civil rights etc., well defined. Similarly, in the UK we have 2 major parties the liberals & the conservatives, both of which have policies well defined.
In Goa, there are 2 major political parties, but what is their vision? What are their goals with regards to environment, economy, social security etc? What are the likely policies to be implemented by them? When this it self is not clear, how can there be a motivation to vote? At an individual level, this ideology concept is non-existent for every MLA. What does each MLA stand for? What policies do they support, whether it is economic, social, environmental etc?
With no specific agenda or goal for the future, the only way the MLAs garner support is by keeping the “constituency” electorate happy. This is done by providing monetary benefits / job references / clearing legal issues etc. Hence, when asked people tend to say that their MLA do work. This however refers to petty work as mentioned previously. When this becomes a criterion for people to be happy with an MLA, it is quite obvious that the MLA has no knowledge / desire to consider issues related to the state as a whole.
Another trend is the electorate vote to keep a particular party MLA out of power, that is, the “Lesser known Devil” syndrome. But even in this case, one does not know how the “Lesser known Devil” will perform. Thus, we are in a system devoid of any ideology, goals or vision for the future. Similarly, an ineffective elected representative can continue to get elected purely on the basis of keeping the constituency electorate content. The electorate vote as it is their duty, but the candidates too have a duty once elected. There is no accountability once elected.
What needs to be done to change this? Does Goa need a radical change in its political system? Is the current system a failure?
Unfortunately, in India & likewise in Goa, the tendency is to pass the buck & shun responsibility. Electorates feel that once they've voted their responsibility is done & now it's up to their elected candidate to do the needful. This is largely due to our individualistic nature, which doesn't contribute to collective pursuit of goals & realization of vision. The excuse is often, "It's not my job".
What is lacking is an entity / entities that keeps the government on its toes, questioning its policies, subjecting elected representatives to debates, conducting approval ratings, questioning policies with regards to environment, corruption, social security etc. After elections are over & elected candidates are declared, they should not be left to rest easy. Similar to a person, who once employed, is subjected to performance reviews & feedback, so should the elected candidates be subjected to the same & forced to quit if found continuously lacking.
In an ideal political system, the opposition would normally play this role. Unfortunately they are found lacking, whichever party they may be.
Accountability, somehow needs to be instilled into our politicians.
