"A Suitable Boy" in 2024 in Lok Sabha for South Goa : An Analysis
People of South Goa have the right to reject if Fransisco Sardinha is thrusted upon them, again. Else, put up a "Greenhorn".
With only 2 Lok sabha seats in Goa, it is bewildering that neither the ruling party of BJP, nor Congress or INC Party has been able to nominate candidate for South Goa Parliamentary Constituency.
Each is waiting to see, who blinks first.
After declaring candidate for South Goa LS Seat, after a tom-tom parade of its show of good work and strength of local MLA Venzy Viegas; Aam Admi Party (AAP) withdrew from the race and allocated the seat to INC or Congress.
South Goa had been always a bastion of INC, would have ruled over the mind of AAP, and while organising "Bull Fights" and couple of Mohalla Clinics could have brighten their chances, locally; but not across South Goa, finally doomed upon them.
By all means, it was a kind of strategic "play" to force Congress to adjust in New Delhi, where AAP is strong and earlier BJP Candidates have lost the credibility and shown the door.
While Goa Forward Party, the actions of whose leader in the past has not been divine and pristine, decided to go along with AAP and INC in order to keep the BJP at bay, has strong reservations against the candidature of 4 times MP and present one Francisco Sardinha.
Ironically, the name of Sardinha is not in the first list of candidates released by Congress Party for the forthcoming parliamentary elections; this is despite the fact, that he is sitting MP and won many elections and South Goa is Congress bastion. Why?
No one is asking that.
If Sardinha is such a time tested candidate, never ditched the party and has won multiple times, why he has not been in the first list. If there is one seat, which Congress is sure of winning in the country, apart from other 2 or 3 , it is South Goa. But still, the Dilly dallying?
This itself says a lot about the so called strength of Sardinha.
Except making occasional appearances, here and there for photo ops, to signify that he is sitting MP and alive and kicking; Sardinha has been AWOL and totally apathetic to the pains of its constituent, when they have been fighting on the streets for their rights.
This when, he belongs to Congress, the opposition party, at both Centre and State. The least which Sardinha was expected to stand besides his sons and daughters and brothers and sisters, since he is 77.
All through his 77 Years, he must have seen South Goa evolved and how the common people, who have nothing to do with tourism or mining related activities, being sidelined completely and at being mercy of crony capitalism.
With only 2 Lok sabha seats in Goa, it is bewildering that neither the ruling party of BJP, nor Congress or INC Party has been able to nominate candidate for South Goa Parliamentary Constituency.
Each is waiting to see, who blinks first.
After declaring the candidate for South Goa LS Seat, after a timo-tom parade of its show of good work and strength of local MLA Venzy Viegas; Aam Admi Party (AAP) withdrew from the race and allocated the seat to INC or Congress.
South Goa had been always a bastion of INC would have ruled over their mind, and while organising "Bull Fights" and couple of Mohalla Clinics could have brighten their chances, locally; but not across South Goa, finally doomed upon them. By all means, it was a kind of strategic "play" to force Congress to adjust in New Delhi, where AAP is strong and earlier BJP Candidates have lost the credibility and shown the door.
While Goa Forward Party, the actions of whose leader in the past has not been divine and pristine, decided to go a long with AAP and INC in order to keep the BJP at bay, has strong reservations against the candidature of 4 times MP and present one Francisco Sardinha.
Ironically, the name of Sardinha is not in the first list of candidates released by Congress Party for the forthcoming parliamentary elections; this is despite the fact, that he is sitting MP and won many elections and South Goa is Congress bastion. Why?
No one is asking that. If Sardinha is such a time tested candidate, never ditched the party and has won multiple times, why he has not been in the first list. If there is one seat, which Congress is sure of winning in the country, apart from other 2 or 3 , it is South Goa. But still, the Dilly dallying?
This itself says a lot about the so called strength of Sardinha.
Except making occasional appearances, here and there for photo ops, to signify that he is sitting MP and alive and kicking; Sardinha has been AWOL and totally apathetic to the pains of its constituent, when they have been fighting in the streets for their rights.
This when, he belongs to Congress, the opposition party, at both Centre and State. The least which Sardinha was expected to stand besides his sons and daughters and brothers and sisters, since he is 77.
All through his 77 Years, he must have seen South Goa evolved and how the common people who have nothing to do with tourism or mining related activities, being sidelined completely and at being mercy of crony capitalism.
Age is just a number, they say; but it shows also in your actions or the lack thereof.
Have you become more compassionate and empathetic or you are just there to win another election and then cool your heels in a government allotted bungalow in Lutyen Delhi, enjoy the perks of a Member of Parliament and in between the recess of Parliament come back to Goa, like another high profile tourist; have some photo-ops provided with tax payers money and then vanish back in the dark dungeons to enjoy again.
The report card of Fransisco Sardinha is available online for all to see. What he did in Lok Sabha and what he did not do on the grounds at South Goa.
See the link : https://x.com/99Goa/status/1767202893403152649?s=20
Winning is not everything, its the only thing.
And Sardinha very well knows that despite the wondrous work of doling out 150 CC Sports Scooters to PWD and some work here and there, he does not stand for anything in his last 5 Years stint.
Doling out Scooters, that's it : https://x.com/99Goa/status/1767420593962365111?s=20
Check out the news reports, whenever South Goa is burning with furious protests, against the Central and State Government's crony actions; and you would find Sardinha is MIA.
Let alone standing at the grounds of South Goa, lending them a shoulder to cry on, he did not even vigorously raised the voices of his electorates in Parliament. Why?
Is this ingrained in his morality or it was a tacit arrangement?
People have been arguing that, there is no better candidate available and winability is everything and hence to stop BJP'S March, everyone should support Sardinha.
The question is : South Goa would vote for Fransisco Sardinha or Indian National Congress Party?
And why, South Goa should vote for Fransisco; just because he is the only available one-eyed person among the blinds?
People who have lost their land and homes to double tracking railway project would still vote for Sardinha?
Would people of Mollem vote for him, because there is no better candidate?
Morally they should not, but they would because we'll, there is no better alternative for them. They won't go with BJP because of atrocities done in last 5 Years on them, which managed to snatch away their mandate also. Deeply betrayed are the people of South Goa.
And Fransisco knows this very well. People of South Goa do not have an option.
But aggrieved and pained and lonely people of South Goa do have an option, NOTA.
What is the purpose of re electing Fransisco, just because there is no other better option?
People vote for NOTA , if their political party decides to field a rogue and unsuitable candidate.
They have the right to reject the candidate, if the party selected him due to certain foolish idiosyncratic ideology like winability, and being tried and trusted; despite always being MIA and AWOL, just enjoying the Parliament Canteen facilities, while in New Delhi.
Electoral Franchise is not only about selecting the suitable candidate, who would stand by them and share their pain, through thick and thin; it is also about rejecting the candidate forcefully thrusted on them, just because they identify with that party's ideology or are sympathetic to them.
While NOTA is definitely an option for South Goa if Francisco Sardinha is again made the INC Candidate; South Goan common people would be more than willing to put their trust in a "Greenhorn" from Indian National Congress Party, who promises to fight for their rights and be with them.
After all, in 2019 Sardinha also came back elected on the promises, now proved empty rhetoric and a mockery. So what's the harm in trusting a “Greenhorn” on promises, at least he would try to be more faithful, being a Greenhorn, he has to prove himself.
While Sardinha would comfortably enjoy next 5 Years, knowing fairly well, that at 82, he would be hoisted out.
Taking people's mandate for granted, that they would vote, just because there is no other suitable candidate is like living in fool's paradise.
Go and ask the people of South Goa, those who have been lathicharged and arrested, because they were fighting for their rights, while the "suitable boy" and the present MP was having paralysis from both actions and words.
If the INC does not put up a "Greenhorn", people of South Goa can vote for NOTA.
But enough of the dinosaur, which Sardinha is.