Mirage of a milestone

THE Adil Shah's palace returns to the headline after a long sabbatical. One year of occupancy at the palace fetched a much needed milestone to the Bharatiya Janata Party to trumpet their achievements. The BJP obviously felt they could unwind a bit after the 'herculean' exercise which was needed to keep the disparate elements properly reigned in since the formation of the BJP-led government in Goa in October 2000.

With loyalties shifting at the very mention of cash in our record-breaking State, it is beyond expectations to imagine a single party rule Goa for too long. Hence the uneasy quiet was disturbed with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party's organizational elections in October 2000. The attempt by Transport Minister Pandurang Raut and EDC chairperson Sudhin Davlikar to secure an upper berth in the MGP echelons is what precipitated the latest foul wind because these are the only two MGP MLAs which have been supporting the BJP government without actually joining the party, despite their assurances that they would do so within two months of the BJP's coming to power.

The BJP seems to be quite content with the support they have to stay in power comfortably. Hence Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar wants to know whether the two MLAs--Raut and Davlikar--desire to be a part of the party in power or prefer to stick to their parent MGP. Though the situation appears to be a dilemma for the two, Raut claims that if he and the BJP ensure that they do not break the promises made at the time of forming the BJP government, then there should not be a cause for concern for either the BJP or the duo. But the BJP partymen are out to get the MGP duo to commit one way or other.

The Congress Party can't help but gloat at the emerging scene. The faintest signs of complacency in the BJP was what the Congress party has been straining to sense, to drive in a wedge and effect intrusion any edgewise into power. In fact, there have been rumours that there was an abortive attempt last month to overturn the BJP applecart but one of the MLAs spilled the beans. This, of course, does not mean that the next sortie won't ever arrive.

Joel D'Souza
EDITOR