This monsoon, it146;s raining sops here

With less than a week before the Assembly elections, politicians in Goa are pulling out all stops to woo the voters. Despite

With less than a week before the Assembly elections, politicians in Goa are pulling out all stops to woo the voters.

Despite the best efforts of the Election Commission, liquor continues to flow like water in many parts of Goa. The state8217;s politicians, it seems, have found a way to beat the restrictions of the EC and are flooding their constituencies with liquor. Mostly, it is the party workers who go to a quiet spot after the day8217;s campaigning is through and tank up on alcohol and biryani. Often local boys also join them since such feasting is possible just once in five years.

But Goan voters are more sophisticated and demanding. Motorcycles, watches, sarees, lungis and even Sintex tanks to store water are being doled out to win over voters.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Filipe Neri, who barely stayed in office for a week before he was forced to quit under the disqualification law, is in a spot of trouble with his claims that he paid an old woman cash to fix her roof just before the rains. Neri8217;s admission incidentally appeared in an allegedly paid news item published by a local newspaper.

In fact with the Election Commission acting tough on advertising for votes, candidates in Goa have resorted to paid editorials in local newspapers to get their points of view across. So far flattering profiles of prominent politicians like Churchill Alemao, Mauvin Godhinho, Luizinho Faleiro, Joaquim Alemao and others have appeared in a local newspaper under the bylines of non-existent journalists.

The going rate for a Page 1 profile of a politician is around Rs 20,000, said a journalist working for one of the newspapers.

Most of the candidates for the June 2 Assembly polls are rich, having been ministers in the past. Others have been builders and money lenders or mine owners with access to unlimited funds.

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It wasn8217;t surprising, therefore, that the Election Commission sat up when inquiries with the RTO indicated that the number of motorcycles being registered in the state had shot up sharply. The rumours were that former Town and Country Planning Minister Atanasio Monserrate was distributing two-wheelers to his voters. A probe was then ordered.

8220;We have seen that in the past several days there has been a high sale of motorcycles. About 700 motorcycles have been sold in seven days, some financed through banks and some by finance companies. The Election Commission has directed us to file a FIR with police and initiate an investigation by the Income Tax Commissioner to link it with the prospective candidates,8221; said Chief Election Officer, Ramesh Negi. But so far, the EC has not got any success.

Bike dealers have said the rise in sales has got nothing to do with the upcoming elections. 8220;As an entrepreneur for the last seven years, my answer is no. The trend has remained constant8212;10 to 15 per cent. It has not increased abnormally. If you are asking me whether there is increase in sales because of elections, my answer is big no,8221; says MD, Goa Rajee, Vinay Kunkolkar.

However political observers say, motorcycles are used to lure large families where the number of registered voters are high. A bike for a family member will hopefully let a candidate gain a large number of votes.