AERIAL VIEW
What is shocking is that the Governor of Goa PS Sreedharan Pillai, despite the Chief Election Officer (CEO) Mr Kunal submitting the election results, has not invited anyone to form the government.
In 2017, the then Governor Mridula Sinha had invited Manohar Parrikar led BJP alliance to form the government just because the Congress delayed staking a claim. At that time, Congress was the single-largest party and had 17 MLAs, while the BJP had just 13 and successfully forged an alliance with MGP, GFP and the independents. Congress failed to form a government because it could not decide the legislative leader and also convince the regional parties and independents on the alliance.
In 2022, the situation is similar, BJP has 20, but it has not been able to finalise the CM candidate for a week now. How much more time will the Governor give the BJP? The wait cannot be endless; the Governor, Mr Pillai, has to step in and set a deadline to form the government.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemkarponn
It must be for the first time in the history of Goa that the State government is not formed even a week after the results of the Assembly elections must have been announced.
The results were declared on March 10, 2022, and BJP battling a solid anti-incumbency, romped back with a thumping majority winning 20 out of 40 seats. Not just this, the BJP has also received “unexpected” support fo two MGP MLAs and three independents.
So the BJP’s number practically is 25, but sadly, the saffron brigade is yet to stake claim to form the government.
What is shocking is that the Governor of Goa PS Sreedharan Pillai, despite the Chief Election Officer (CEO) Mr Kunal submitting the election results, has not invited anyone to form the government.
In 2017, the then Governor Mridula Sinha had invited Manohar Parrikar led BJP alliance to form the government just because the Congress delayed staking a claim. At that time, Congress was the single-largest party and had 17 MLAs, while the BJP had just 13 and successfully forged an alliance with MGP, GFP and the independents. Congress failed to form a government because it could not decide the legislative leader and also convince the regional parties and independents on the alliance.
In 2022, the situation is similar, BJP has 20, but it has not been able to finalise the CM candidate for a week now. How much more time will the Governor give the BJP? The wait cannot be endless; the Governor, Mr Pillai, has to step in and set a deadline to form the government.
The Governor has already made a mockery of the Assembly by allowing the swearing of elected MLAs without the government in place. Isn’t this a total biased treatment? Would Governor give Congress so much time to form the government if they had the numbers?
If Mridula Sinha invited Parrikar to form a government as Congress failed to stake a claim, why not Pillai ask Congress to do so and prove the majority as it is the second-largest party as BJP, the single largest party failed to form a government?
Agreed, what happened in 2017 was against political ethics but not illegal in any way.
The blame also has to be taken by the Congress as they have resigned to their fate. Not one attempt has been made to ask the Governor to speed up the process in the last one week.
Agreed they do not have the numbers but at least make an effort of meeting MGP and independents. The BJP is already running into rough weather over the fight for CMs chair between Dr Pramod Sawant and Vishwajit Rane. Who knows which side Vishwajit Rane and his wife would vote on if Congress makes an effort.
There are many IFs and Buts in this but at least throw up a challenge; why give up the fight? At least try to unsettle the BJP with some moves, make them do something different. But no, Congress has decided to give BJP a safe passage to power.
Of Course, Congress is already fighting its own battle, Girish Chodankar has resigned as the GPCC president, Aleixio Sequeira wants to be the new GPCC chief, and Digambar Kamat is now fighting for CLP leaders post.
So basically, the BJP sees no opposition as Congress sits on the fence and watches a one-sided cricket game where the batsman is of the BJP, the bowler is of the BJP, the fielders too are of BJP and teh umpires also belong to BJP.