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Goa goes against the grain again

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panjim

Goa is proving an exception to the rule once again, this time on the question of coalitions. While regional forces are becoming dominant in almost every state, not a single regional party is in the fray for the parliamentary election in this state.

For the first time perhaps the contest is solely between the national parties. The existing regional outfits have either merged with or are supporting one of the two main contenders.

Goa has a rich history of regionalism with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party ruling the state initially for 17 years while the United Goans Party remained the main opposition.

The Congress came to power only in Goa in 1980. Even the Bharatiya Janata Party could make its debut in the assembly in the 1994 polls only by aligning with the MGP, which remained the main opposition in Goa till last year.

But the scene changed drastically with Ramkant Khalap joining the Congress, after ditching the MGP which had got him elected to the previous Lok Sabha. Ironically, it was on the strength of regional representation that he had gone on to become a Union minister! "The role of regional parties is over as far as Goa is concerned," he says.

Professor Surendra Sirsat, leader of the MGP rump, also feels that the regional parties need to imbibe a broader national perspective to survive. "The 35 percent non-Goans settled in Goa forces us to think broader," he concedes.

Advocate Radharao Gracias of the United Goans Democratic Party -- both the Members of the Legislative Assembly of the party joined the ruling Congress soon after the assembly polls held here three months ago -- however hopes that regional forces in the state will eventually come together.

"People are not with us because we are divided," Gracias says. Having no other option, his party now supports the Nationalist Congress Party, which is the new avatar of the Goa Rajiv Congress. The latter had originally, under the leadership of Dr Wilfred D'Souza, broken away from the Congress.

"Maybe our future lies with the national parties," says D'Souza, whose attempts before and even after the assembly polls to bring together all the three regional parties proved futile.

"The answer is loud and clear where the role of the regional parties is concerned," D'Souza concludes.

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