Politicians extended support to BJP on different banner, all in the name of development
MARGAO
Prime Minister Narendra Modi may have made a mention in Kerala how the BJP has found acceptance amongst the Christians in Goa, besides the North Eastern states, to drive home the point that the minorities no longer consider the saffron party an untouchable.
For, it’s not uncommon to find minority community members making it to the Goa Legislative Assembly on the Lotus symbol from a host of constituencies over the last two decades.
What, however, may have gone unnoticed is how the Saxtti hand that has helped nurture the Lotus to bloom in Goa since the last two decades, with elected representatives from the minority heartland, in one way or other, propelling BJP’s rule in the State.
Against the backdrop of the ongoing war of words amongst Saxtti-based heavyweights, the Churchill-Sardinha-Vijai trio, each trying to blame the other for the BJP’s rise in Goa, a glance at the recent political history would reveal that Saxtti’s politicians had no qualms in lending support to the saffron party after making it to the Assembly on a different banner, all in the name of development.
In fact, a question is often asked in Saxtti countryside whether there’s any constituency left out in minority Saxtti wherein the elected MLAs have not betrayed the people’s mandate to enjoy honeymoon with the saffron brigade.
Consider this. Amongst the eight seats, the two Catholic dominated constituencies of Velim and Nuvem, where the BJP normally struggle to save its deposits in the elections, too have seen the saffron flag flying high, thanks to defections by the Congress MLAs on two different occasions.
Benaulim and Curtorim, the other two minority strongholds in Saxtti, too have extended support to the BJP dispensation, again on the plank of development, in the recent past.
As the Churchill-Sardinha-Vijai trio blamed each other for hobnobbing with the saffron brigade, a question did the rounds how politicos of all hues have backstabbed and betrayed the electorate at one time or other by enjoying honeymoon with the saffron brigade. The list of such politicians may be endless, throwing up the oft-repeated question whether there’s any constituency in the minority stronghold left out without their MLAs either joining or supporting the saffron brigade.
If the rebel Congress MLAs, mostly from Salcete led by Churchill Alemao, join hands with the MGP a little over three decades ago, to bring down the Congress government headed by former Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane, to form the short-lived Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) government, the BJP came to power in Goa a decade later in 2000 with the support of Congress MLAs from Saxtti and outside, marking the beginning of the saffron party’s rule in the State.
BJP tastes success for first time in 2000, gets 2 Saxtti MLAs’ support
When former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar rose to become the Chief Minister after the collapse of the government-headed by Congress rebel, Francisco Sardinha in 2000, Saxtti MLAs too were part of the group that propped up the saffron party to power in the State.
Two year later, in the 2002 Assembly polls, Saxtti MLAs from minority strongholds, UGDP Benaulim MLA Mickky Pacheco and Independent Velim MLA Filipe Neri Rodrigues, were quick to back the Parrikar dispensation and were rewarded with plum Ministerial posts in lieu of their support.
Saffron party returns to power in 2012; Independent, GVP MLAs lend support
BJP’s return to power in the 2012 Assembly election, riding on a strong anti-Congress sentiment around the State countryside, more so in the minority stronghold, saw Saxtti Independent MLAs Avertano Furtado (Navelim) and Benjamin D’Silva (Velim), besides Goa Vikas Party MLAs Mickky Pacheco (Nuvem) and Caitu Silva (Benaulim), extending support to the saffron brigade.
The BJP had enough numbers on its own to form the government in 2012, but the astute Parrikar inducted Navelim Independent MLA Avertano Furtado in his cabinet. Political observers believe Parrikar inducted Avertano not just to give representation to Saxtti in his Cabinet, but as a reward to the minority stronghold for the virtual decimation of Congress in the taluka. Take note, the Congress was left stranded way back in the 2012 polls in Saxtti, winning just two out of the eight Assembly seats at stake, which helped the saffron party in the number game.
