In Goa’s muddied waters a lotus has blossomed

A lotus grows in murky waters. For the past five years, the Congress in Goa prepared the right environment for a lotus to take root. In the clean waters of Goa it poured in tonnes of mining dust, added much construction debris, and then dipped its hand that had been blackened in corruption to dirty the water a little bit more.
In a pond such as this, is it any surprise to see a lotus bloom?
It shouldn’t surprise anyone that BJP has won a simple majority in Goa.Throughout the election campaign it was obvious the BJP leaders knew they had been dealt a winning hand by the previous government. They played their cards well and won the game decisively. In their quest for power they were aided by an electorate that had had enough of a government that hadn’t performed in the past five years.
The vote, however, is not necessarily a reflection of a pro-BJP sentiment. It is more of an anti-Congress vote and for this the Digambar Kamat-led coalition can blame only itself. The government had appeared rudderless. Decisions taken were reversed, development projects were shelved and corruption charges increased—factors that helped BJP in its march to power.
The signs that Congress was to receive the boot were further strengthened when on Saturday voters broke the record for going out to elect their representatives to the legislature. That high voting percentage, however, puts added pressure on the BJP to perform. With 82% of the electors voting, expectations are high. Can BJP deliver? Can its government stay away from corruption?
Despite growing in murky waters, a lotus remains untouched by the impurities of the waters. Can BJP remain as pure as its symbol? The party has been brought to power and been given the task of cleaning up the waters. The electorate expects nothing less. The new government will have to act against illegal mining and the myriad charges of corruption that have risen in Goa. Yet, while doing so, BJP must also steer away from any personal vendetta.
The past five years gave the state political stability, but now Goa demands a government that will take crucial decisions without pandering to alliance partners or being stymied by internal bickering.
For that the government needs strong leadership. The BJP may be able to provide that, but the leaders must also remember that administration and running a government are very different from managing an election campaign or leading an opposition.
Manohar Parrikar, who is likely to head the new government, needs to realize that in his third stint as chief minister, and with the majority he has been given, he has to reach out to Goa and not just to any particular community. He has to build bridges not just over rivers, but over the chasm of distrust that kept his party away from an absolute majority until Tuesday.
And then there is that oft repeated term—development—that is promised by every party. Development doesn’t mean paving roads and building bridges. These aren’t projects that any government should take credit for. They are part of the process and should come irrespective of the party in power. Development must include economic and social development of the people. This can be achieved only through programmes and not schemes that in India governments are so fond of.
For the Congress this is the time to introspect and regroup. The party could have done better had it effected a leadership change in the months prior to the election. That would have been a signal to the electorate that the party bosses in New Delhi were aware of the levels of corruption and the mismanagement of the state’s issues. It didn’t happen and the party has paid a huge price for it.
Now, in occupying the opposition benches in the assembly, it has a duty to offer constructive criticism to the government, and to rein in the government when it crosses the line. Congress has a role to play and Goa will watch it as keenly as it watches the BJP performing in its new role of governing party.
The writer is a senior journalist. The views expressed are those of the writer
Goa Assembly Elections 2012
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