Goemkarponn: Divergent views come to fore
Coalition government’s divergent views on Goemkarponn, Ola and Uber came to the fore this week as the State commemorated the Opinion Poll Day and had to contend with a two-day strike by the tourist taxi operators. Transport Minister Sudinbab Dhavalikar’s threat to invite Ola and Uber taxis if the taxi operators did not cap the strike has indeed made reading interesting. Sudinbab’s statement has indeed raised many an eyebrow and only brought to the fore differences amongst the alliance partners on many an issues centered around Goemkarponn. For, while the Transport Minister spoke in favour of according a red carpet welcome for Ola and Uber taxis, TCP Minister Vijaibab Sardesai had earlier this week said a firm ‘no’ to Ola and Uber and ‘yes’ for only Goemkarponn from the historic Lohia Maidan. Sounds interesting, isn’t it?
Opinion Poll Square - a rectangle
It was a week when geometry came in handy for ruling politicos to strike political chemistry in Saxttidom coinciding with the Opinion Poll commemoration day. The Opinion Poll Square took centrestage this week, but the place where the commemorative portraits of the Opinion Poll stalwarts are installed is neither a square nor a circle, but a rectangular piece of land along the Bishop Rebelo road. How TCP Minister Vijaibab Sardesai came up with the idea of Opinion Poll Square remains unknown as the Old Market-Ravindra Bhavan Road starts with a circle and ends as a rectangle, with no square along the less than a kilometer stretch of road. While the Opinion Poll Square did not fall in the ambit of the geometric shape, the political chemistry between Vijaibab and Manoharbhai Parrikar was all evident on Opinion Poll Day. How’s that.
Girish blames Vijai for reviving saffron brigade
Why has AICC secretary Girishbab Chodankar suddenly narrowed down his attacks on arch rival and TCP Minister Vijaibab Sardesai? Girishbab’s reasoning appears simple. The AICC secretary ostensibly believes that the coalition government headed by Manoharbhai is the brain child and the creation of the Fatorda MLA. His rationale stems from the fact that Goans across the State, right from Mandrem to Canacona had given their mandate to anti-BJP forces to rule the State for the next five years. Girishbab says he and the people of Goa are not at all surprised with Manoharbhai’s style of functioning and hence had dumped the saffron brigade in 2017, while squarely blaming Vijaibab for reviving Manoharbhai and the saffron brigade. Any questions?
‘Sunday dialogue’ back on track
Is the time ripe for Vijaibab Sardesai to go back to the people of Fatorda, nearly 10 months after he took the unpopular decision to bring the saffron brigade to power post March-11? Days after he brought Opinion Poll and the popular demand for the installation of Jack Sequeira’s statue on the political centerstage, Vijaibab is going back to Fatordekars via the Sunday dialogue. The Sunday dialogue concept was started by the Fatorda MLA during his first term in office, before it was discontinued after March 11 last when he joined hands with the saffron brigade to form the coalition government. With the Manohar Parrikar-led coalition government set to complete one year in office in March, it’s indeed time to go back home and gauge the pulse of the people.
Reginaldo wary of Curtorim ZP member
Is Congress MLA Reginaldbab aware that the Curtorim Zilla Panchayat member Morenobab Rebello was seating on the dais at the Goa Forward’s Asmitai Zagor at the Lohia Maidan earlier this week? Well, Morenobab may have clarified that his presence at the Lohia Maidan had nothing to do with politics. Back home, questions are being raised in Curtorim circles over the motive behind Morenobab’s presence at the Goa Forward party’s platform, more so against the backdrop of recent war of words between the TCP Minister Vijaibab Sardesai and Reginaldbab on the floor of the house. Morenobab, who had won the Curtorim Zilla by-poll with the support and backing of Reginaldbab, has indeed been the talking point in Curtorim circles, after his presence on the Goa Forward party’s dais. Reginaldbab says he does not think there’s no politics behind the episode, but remains unfazed.
