2024: BJP SHIFTING FOCUS FROM SALCETE?

MARGAO

Saxtti’s omission from the BJP government has thrown up a host of questions when the very same party had made a determined bid to make inroads in the minority stronghold via Mission Salcete just a decade and a half ago.

One, has realization finally dawned on the saffron party that keeping Salcete in good humour with berths and positions for individual MLAs does not necessarily bring in rich dividends, electorally? Or, is it simply that the ruling party now prefers to invest more in the areas where it can hope to reap a harvest in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls?

For an answer to these and other questions, consider this. Recent electoral history suggests that the BJP hasn’t been averse to doing business with Salcete MLAs, either to cobble up the magic figure of 21 to form a government or to add stability to the dispensation. In return, MLAs from the taluka had been rewarded with prized ministerial berths.

Exactly two decades ago in 2002, two Salcete MLAs -- UGDP MLA Mickky Pacheco and Independent MLA Filipe Nery Rodrigues -- had found a berth in the BJP government headed by late Manohar Parrikar. It’s another matter that both Filipe Nery and Mickky moved out of the government three years later in 2005.

That’s not all. Salcete had a token representation in the Manohar Parrikar cabinet after the BJP stormed to power riding on a strong anti-Congress wave in 2012. The BJP had got the magic figure of 21 on its own, but Parrikar by his wisdom inducted Independent Navelim MLA Avertano Furtado into his cabinet. Another Independent MLA, Benjamin D’Silva, besides Goa Vikas Party MLAs -- Mickky Pacheco and Caitu Silva -- also extended support to Parrikar post-2012 elections.

The 2017 Assembly polls saw the BJP decimated and stranded midway with just 13 seats in the 40-member House, but Salcete powered the saffron brigade back in the saddle after the Vijai Sardesai-headed Goa Forward Party propped up the Manohar Parrikar-led government once again.

That’s not all. Salcete played a stellar role during the political upheaval in 2019 when the Goa Forward Party ministers were shown the door by Parrikar’s successor, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. In fact, when the 10-Congress MLAs formed the two-third majority to quit the party and embrace the BJP, three out of these MLAs -- Filipe Nery Rodrigues, Clafasio Dias and Wilfred D’Sa -- hailed from the minority stronghold. In return, Filipe Nery was rewarded with a ministerial berth, while both, Clafasio and Wilfred, were nominated on the Mormugao and the South Goa Planning bodies, respectively.

Sources close to the BJP pointed out that power-sharing between the BJP and the Salcete MLAs has benefitted both sides. Questions, however, are now being raised in the BJP circles about whether the party has in any way gained a foothold in the minority taluka over the years.

“We had Manohar Parrikar’s Mission Salcete, kicked off in 2004 during the Lok Sabha polls. Parrikar himself had descended on the Salcete battlefield to drum up support for the party candidate, but the Congress sprang a surprise by wresting the seat from the BJP by a record 50,000-odd vote margin”, sources said.

Sources added: “While the BJP does not expect to pocket a couple of seats from Salcete in an Assembly election, barring seats in its traditional strongholds, the party certainly looked forward to making a dent in the Parliamentary poll in a bid to restrict Congress’ free run in the taluka, but in vain”.

MLAs relishing power with BJP had to battle saffron tag in Salcete

MARGAO

Salcete’s omission from the BJP government may have become the subject matter of debate, but it’s a sheer coincidence that those enjoying honeymoon with the BJP had to contend with the saffron tag in the minority stronghold.

That’s not all. Take note, many a politician, painted saffron and demonized by opponents for switching sides to embrace the BJP or extending support to the party from outside, had all met their waterloo in the elections.

In fact, all the three Congress-turned-BJP MLAs from Salcete -- Filipe Nery Rodrigues, Clafasio Dias and Wilfred D’Sa -- could not escape the attack on social media platforms for their decision to quit the Congress in 2019. Though Filipe Nery and Wilfred later quit the BJP on the eve of the 2022 assembly polls, their decision came to haunt them in the election campaign. Eventually, all three MLAs were defeated in the election.

Former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao too had to face the wrath on social media platforms for extending "issue-based" support to “Bahujan Samaj” Chief Minister Pramod Sawant. In fact, opponents capitalized on Churchill’s support to the BJP to corner him in Benaulim, a predominantly minority stronghold, in the recent election.

Former Minister Avertano Furtado and Benjamin Silva, besides Mickky Pacheco who contested on the Congress and Trinamool Congress from Navelim, Velim and Nuvem, respectively, also had to grapple with their decision to support the late Manohar Parrikar a decade ago in 2012.

Goa Forward Party chief Vijai Sardesai had to literally struggle to shrug off the saffron tag before managing to retain the seat by a narrow margin in the just concluded election.