Goa Diary

The worthy, who is now a rebel Congressman enjoying high office, cornered a group of journalists covering the Lok Sabha polls and denounced the State’s environmentalists for pushing the notification.

But what really shocked his listeners was the politician’s observation that the green lobby was ignoring the environmental destruction caused by the mining industry. For more than a decade, the mine owners of Goa had ensured that the politician was never short of funds to stay in office! Needless tosay the conversation was off-the-record.

Fairweather friends

The Lok Sabha elections in Goa were almostwashed out by the bounty of the rain-gods. Still, political activists gamely pressed in vehicles to transport voters to the polling booths. But the demand far exceeded the supply, so politicians being politicians, decided on the next best thing. They concentrated on ferrying voters to the polling stations without waiting to drop them back home. After all, of what use is a voter once the ballot has been cast!

Political franchise

Soft drink companies franchising bottling plants, newspapers franchising executives…. but a political party franchising its symbol? The United Goans Democratic Party, which lost its leader Churchill Alemao and workers to the Congress last year, stayed out of the electoral race in Goa this time. But its symbol — two leaves — was franchised’ to a splinter Jharkhand political grouping, according to reports in the local press. One only hopes that the jinx of the copyright holder is not part of the deal!

Tailpiece

It rained on the political parade on Sunday. Butit hardly proved to be a wet blanket to the smooth talking politicians. After the polls closed with a law turnout of 45 per cent, all the windbags boasted how their party workers managed to pull out supporters to ensure a winning margin for their respective candidates. So the wait continues for another month.