From direct talks to petty issues, Sardinha tackles it all

The long innings as a politician is visible as South Goa Congress candidate Francisco Sardinha knows most of his voters by their first names and it is this personal touch that brightens the day for those waiting for him, reports Julio D'Silva.

It was a Sunday and the Congress candidate Francisco Sardinha has dedicated the day to network with his associates and also concentrate on his assembly segment of Curtorim and his house at Curtorim resembled a beehive with people coming and going steadily.
The day begins with participation in the Sunday mass at 6.30 am. After the mass there is a congregation outside with Sardinha exchanging pleasantries with his childhood buddies from the village, friends, acquaintances and co-villagers as most of them come forward to greet him and wish him the best.
From the church he returns home where there is already a sizeable crowd waiting for him. The long innings as a politician is visible as Sardinha knows most of those present by their first names and it is this personal touch that brightens the day for those waiting for him.
A smile here, hands shake there, a pat on the shoulder for one and his typical "ola" greeting for another gives a very friendly touch to the atmosphere. He briefs his supporters about his campaign.
"The position is improving every day, Sanguem and Sanvordem, which were a little weak have improved now and I am confident of victory," he says while urging those present to concentrate on Salcete that holds the key.
By then, HCN is repeating the debate with candidates and Sardinha along with around 25 supporters, spread out before the television to watch it. As Sardinha appears on the screen, he explains why he gave that particular answer or identifies the person putting the question.
'This one is priest.' 'This lady always asks such questions'. "I was getting tense as the programme started late and I had to be at Cortalim for a public meeting where the crowd was already gathering," were some of the comments.
Once Sardinha's section is over, the television is switched off and he gets cracking on his electioneering. He first to deal with where his long time supporters from San Jose de Areal, the village now shifted to Velim Assembly constituency.
"You distribute the cards there and mobilise the people. I have already spoken to Felipe (Velim MLA) and there is absolutely no change," he tells his supporters. There is no problem with Felipe he tells us giving thumbs up to the genial Water Resources Minister.
The group from Macasana is a little upset and ventilates its grievance over being sidelined by the new Congress leadership in the village after it was detached from Curtorim assembly segment and added to Cuncolim.
"You must have got the report of the very less crowd they got for the meeting," they complain and Sardinha has to pacify them. "There are problems, but this is the time to ignore them and concentrate on the victory of the party," he assuages.
Party workers from Raia and Curtorim are given the task of mobilising the crowd for the pubic meeting scheduled at Raia the next day. "You have to make sure that the crowd occupies the chairs and please do not make an announcement over the microphone asking them to do so. If you are committed workers, you will get them in the seats," he instructs while disclosing that empty chairs turns is mood off.
He monitors the distribution of cards in Curtorim assembly segment and gives necessary directions on how to go about doing it in certain pockets. He drops names to be contacted in different wards. "They have been with me for a long time and they will do the needful," he says confidently.
Congress workers from other assembly segments drop in for various reasons. While some want publicity material others have come for finances. The group from Seraulim is organizing a tiatr and are looking for sponsorship.
"You tell me what is your expectation as what I offer may not be acceptable to you. I believe in direct talk," he tells them. Even as they hesitate, their MLA and Power Minister Aleixo Sequeira calls up and Sardinha takes up the matter with him directly.
"Your boys from Seraulim are here regarding the tiatr. What are you offering them? Alright, if you are giving that, I shall give the other. I am sending them to you." This is the conversation and the Seraulim lads are told to meet their MLA.
A desperate looking lady from Colva drops in with hopes that she will get some money to buy medicines for her son who has suffered a paralytic stroke. "Did you contact Micky?" asks Sardinha and she replies in a tearful voice that her MLA is not available.
"If you treated your son at Grace Cardiac, it means you are financially quite sound," he opined asking her why they did not opt for the government hospital that provides all the facilities free of cost. But her plight moves him and she gets a little help.
Some youngsters visibly not eligible to vote come to ask for donation for a tournament. "Where are you from? Come later, preferably after the elections and I shall help you then," he says and turns them away.
As he has not had his breakfast till then, his wife and sister-in-law remind him that he has to take his medicines. But there are still people waiting and his wife stands by his side nudging and reminding him that he has to take care of his health too.
"I am contesting Lok Sabha elections and to deal with these petty issues, you have the State government here. In fact, every three months we have to be in Delhi," he said while replying to the various issues raised by his workers.
A quick bite of a bhaji with bread and half-a-slice of cheese is not enough. He wants more, but there is nothing left and no time. His daughter-in-law and sister-in-law keep him company while he has this snack.
He confabulates with party workers from Benaulim, Vasco, Varca and Assolna. "Being into politics for so many years, I have my own contacts all over and I am using them now," he discloses.
Replying to a question about his party MLAs working for him he says, "they have promised certain votes so let us wait and watch. However, since I am the candidate, I am using my sources and contacts also. There is no harm in doing so, is there?"
But he is aware of what is happening and that is why he takes personal interest in areas where he suspects the Congress men are not working properly. "I am getting my reports," is all that he is willing to say.
There is a problem in one of the wards of Curtorim. At Eclati some persons threatened those distributing Sardinha's cards. His second son Shalom is asked to go to that area and check out the situation. "Do not get into any argument or discussion with them. Just go around with the workers and see what happens. If you are there, nobody will say anything," he tells his son.
It is quite obvious that Shalom is being groomed to take over the political mantle from his father. Prominent party workers are introduced to him and he is asked to deal with some of the workers. He also dashes off on to the field now and then.
After lunch at home, it is a whirlwind rush to address public meetings all over the constituency covering four different talukas. It begins with Canacona where Speaker Pratapsing Rane is present. From there it is to Betalbatim in Salcete taluka. The Navelim meeting is an eye-opener. But the next at Shiroda in Ponda taluka is encouraging and the last meeting is in Verna in Mormugao taluka.

Mickky dares Alemaos

BY A GT REPORTER
MARGAO, April 20, 2009: Unfazed by the threat of the Alemaos to the Digambar-led government in the state a day earlier, Tourism Minister Francisco (Mickky) Pacheco yesterday threw his might behind the Chief Minister challenging his bitter rivals, the two brothers -- PWD Minister Churchill and Urban Development Minister Joaquim to topple, which he said was impossible even if they quit the cabinet.
Assuring full support to Digambar Kamat in case the Alemaos played dirty, Mickky reminded the people of his weight and how he had quit the BJP government within 24 hours of joining the party to dislodge the government from power.
Mickky was addressing a public meeting held near the Betalbatim church yesterday evening.
Venting out his spleen against the Alemaos, the Benaulim NCP MLA drew attention to the vexed taxi issue that the Alemaos had accused the tourism minister of being incapable of solving and alleged that one of the MLA’s brother had eight tourist buses. How would they support the taxi drivers and solve this issue? He asked.
Defending himself, he stated that he had many meetings along with the tour operators and private tourist taxi operators who were presently angry with him so as to solve the woes of the latter but claimed that they were being instigated by certain elements.
The tourism minister urged Sardinha to immediately intervene in the matter since the issue came under the central government Act, besides Goa being a tourist state it was of major concern to the people.
Interestingly, Mickky gave credit to himself for drawing large crowd at yesterday’s meeting as Sardinha had failed to visit the people and pleaded that the MP visit them on a regular basis be it annually and requested that the local issues such as the CRZ issue that was affecting their livelihood be taken on an urgent basis.
The Benaulim NCP MLA took the opportunity to highlight the achievements of the UPA government of which the NCP is a partner and praised his NCP leaders whilst also seeking that clarification be issued concerning the Benaulim Congress block that had not been constituted with the present members seen supporting the opposition parties like the UGDP and BJP and were criticising him (Mickky).
He condemned the UGDP demand for “Special Status” by attacking the UGDP vice-president Adv Radharao Gracias.
Expressing confidence that Sardinha would obtain a lead of not less than 7,000-odd votes in this constituency despite a probable low turnout of voters, Kamat, too, flayed the regional party and termed it a ‘mushroom’ that sprouts during the monsoons for emerging during the present elections.
He alleged that the UGDP candidate Matanhy Saldanha who could not look after his Cortalim constituency, would not be able to look after the state.
Speaking about the BJP, the CM claimed that the people were aware of the heaps of atrocities being committed on Christians in Orissa forcing them to flee to the hilly areas as well as what occurred at Mangalore in Karnataka. He said that he had urged Sardinha to commence the first project of the MPLAD Rs 2 crores sanctioned in Benaulim as the Congress had obtained a lead in the previous polls.
Assuring to fulfill the wishes of the people such as the CRZ issue and the taxi problem that he would examine, Sardinha expressed his regret that he could not visit ‘a few places’ but promised to do so.
Earlier, the GPCC president Subhash Shirodkar blamed the Mapusa BJP MLA Francis D’Souza for raising the CRZ issue in the state assembly that forced the courts to take suo moto cognisance of the matter and convert into a special petition that was later heard directing all the panchayats to issue demolition notices to the structures.
Also present were the GPCC general secretary Altinho Gomes, Colva ZP member Nelly Rodrigues and other local sarpanchas, panchas, etc.

Dawn to Dusk Matanhy Padyatra rolls on

It is a roller coaster ride to be moving with United Goans Democratic Party candidate Matanhy Saldanha on his campaign trail given the fact that there are sudden changes in the prepared schedule as the polling date is fast drawing near, reports JULIO D’SILVA.

The day begins early for Matanhy who after his morning rituals and a healthy breakfast prepared by his wife Alina with great care but hurriedly gulped down, gets down to electioneering by calling up his lieutenants to go over the programme for the day and to check up on action taken with regards to earlier given tasks.

Although he was supposed to launch his padyatra in Margao market, frantic calls from supporters and well wishers, make him change his plan and he dashes off to Vasco to address four corner meetings within a span of 90 minutes.

“I have to be flexible to change the plans as my party does not have a real grass root level organization,” he concedes but is happy with the response his candidature has evoked not only in political circles, but even amongst the electorate.

The enthusiasm is palpable as one spends time with the candidate who keeps pointing out how Goa is being destroyed and thinks aloud of how the trend can be reversed.

While on his way to Margao, yet another telephone call forces a change in the plan. He is compelled to meet a political heavyweight - at least one who considers himself to be so - where a closed door meeting takes place for about half an hour.

As Matanhy is closeted with the politician, his driver gets harassed with persistent calls from the party president Dr Jorson Fernandes who is waiting for the candidate at the party office at Margao to go canvassing in the market area.

After a long delay of one-and-a-half hour, Matanhy makes it to the Margao office and has a quick confabulation with his president Dr Fernandes and munches upon a slice of the summer cooler - water melon.

Then it is back on the trail. Surrounded by a group of around 40 supporters that include the old and the young, men and women, the literate and the illiterate, Matanhy starts moving around Margao.

Starting from the shops below Gomant Vidya Niketan, he crosses over to the adjoining old bus stand and the shops by the side of State Bank of India and then crosses the Margao Municipal Council garden to canvass in the New Market area.

Shopkeepers and shoppers gave him such an enthusiastic response that even Dr Fernandes was surprised. “This is a good sign and it means that the loss of the traditional two leaves symbol will not affect us much,” he mused as people greeted Matanhy with “katol aili”.

Many middle class women who had come shopping were thrilled with the experience and some of them insisted on shaking hands with the candidate. “We support you because you are a good man” was the general refrain.

One shopper, Fatima Coutinho from Cuncolim, joined in the padyatra for some time. “We have to support such good candidates,” she said and prayed that God grants the wisdom to the people to elect a good man like him.

Original Goan women selling vegetables at Gandhi Market gave vent to their frustration by castigating the political class. “You remember us only at the time of elections and then you forget us,” they chorused.

However, Matanhy patiently explained to them that he was not in power and they agreed that it was the Congress that has taken them for a ride all these years. A fruit vendor from Borda admitted that the Congress Party workers provide alcohol to their men folk on the eve of elections and that is how they vote for that party. “This time however, we have decided not to vote for anybody,” she said. 

But another lady, a vegetable vendor from Davorlim kept her options open and candidly admitted that she would decide whom to vote after weighing what she stood to gain.

Significantly, a badel roundly blamed the Congress for all their problems and if this was balm to the UGDP workers, the way they were greeted by the cloth merchants and the tailors seated outside was ecstatic. As Matanhy moved from shop to shop, the staff and the tailors kept snipping their scissors.

Significantly Matanhy has succeeded in enthusing the youth to support his candidature. Most of them are students who have just concluded their exams and are thrilled to be working for Matanhy. “I had actually come here thinking it would be a part time job, but I am so impressed with the talk that Matanhy gave and I now feel proud that I am doing something to save my beautiful state,” said young Filomena Naik who had taken a break from her job at a call centre.

Despite the Goan refrain of Matanhy’s campaign, Rupender Thappa, a Hotel Management Student was enthusiastically doing all kinds of jobs including serving water to the visitors at the office.

After the brisk walk around the Margao market for two hours, it is a quick bite of working lunch for Matanhy at the party office at Jardin dos Aliados and then he has to rush to meet two local satraps who wield quite a bit of influence in certain pockets.

Here again there are closed-door meetings and after one such meeting a visibly disturbed Matanhy walks to the car. “Why can’t there be plain politics without manipulations and machina

ions,” he muses aloud but does not reveal what was it that upset him so much.

“I really wish such politics would end,” he says thus providing that despite jumping into the electoral battle so many times, he has not developed the thick skin a politician is meant to have and still remains a true sensitive son of the red soil who is struggling to protect his land.

“I am not a politician but am forced into politics because our political leadership has failed us,” he admits while pointing out how the Congress candidate in South Goa and the Congress president have different views on the issue of ‘Special Status’ for Goa.

Getting back on the campaign trail, Matanhy addresses a corner meeting at Demani in Cuncolim where his president Dr. Fernandes reminds the people of the problems they faced due to the polluting units at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate. “We do not need such industries specially in our villages,” said Matanhy.

Then it is to the Lohia Maidan for the first public meeting in Margao and after this meeting too there is no respite as there is a corner meeting at Ambaulim, which has now been added to the Cuncolim Assembly segment.

There is still a long way to go before Matanhy can hit the bed because on his way back home, he has yet another closed door meeting scheduled with yet another local leader.

What was apparent while on the trail with Matanhy was that the electorate is discontented and it blames the Congress for their woes but has no much hopes of the BJP being any different. But whether thisdiscontent will translate into votes for Matanhy is the big question.

Alemao's scare Cong

BY A GT REPORTER

MARGAO, APRIL 19, 2009: Only three days to go for the battle of ballot in the state but all does not seem to be well in the Congress as was evident at a rally organised by PWD Minister Churchill Alemao at the open-air Blasco hall, Navelim yesterday evening.

Ironically, the Aleamaos -- Churhill and Joaquim -- asked for votes to the Congress but in the same breath gave a veiled threat to the party if it took them lightly.

First, the younger brother, Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao reminded the party leaders present at the rally that when the Congress party was in a crisis it was he brought Churchill into the party fold. He warned that he would quit if any harm (disqualification or sacking from the party) befell on his elder brother.

He also lashed out at some of Churchill’s detractors calling upon the Benaulim residents to vote out NCP MLA at the next assembly elections.

Churchill hinted that in the possibility of he being disqualified, he would accept the decision and remain at home but not before taking the other MLAs with him. Thus, indirectly threatening to topple the present Congress-led coalition government as he also interestingly quipped ‘do not force me to play politics (with the party).’

He reiterated his earlier remarks that he would remain in politics as long as he had the support of the people but would quit only if the people sought so. Adding that he was afraid of no one other than God and his people.

Churchill also lamented about the Congress failure to honour the agreement made to him over party nomination for his daughter Adv ValankaAlemao for South Goa Parliamenatry seat. He quickly clarified that he did not desire to promote his family dynasty in the political field but that Valanka was genuinely keen in working for the people.

The PWD minister claimed that though the party has hurt him a lot, he had joined the party upon the request of the AICC president Sonia Gandhi. He further alleged that his bete noire and CWC permanent member Luizinho Faleiro along with the Save Goa Front (SGF) president Antonio Gauncar had moved the disqualification petition before Rane that was initially dismissed but later presented by Mickky.

The former SGF leader also took a swipe at the chief minister remarking that had he (Churchill) to be the CM, he would have dropped Mickky from the cabinet for filing the disqualification petition against his own cabinet colleague. 

Rebuke Sardinha, says Churchill

Churchill yesterday moved the GPCC president Subhash Shirodkar urging him to reprimand South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha for his statement that he would not visit his constituency but instead would be available to the public at his chamber in South Goa Collectorate every week on Wednesdays.

Churchill stated that this attitude was unbecoming of an elected representative. Shirodkar agreed to oblige the PWD minister while also assuring that a meeting would be convened after the polls to solve the woes of the private tourist taxi operators in the South Goa coastal belt.