Sandesh Prabhudesai
15 Jan 1998
Goans perhaps always think different, including the ruling Congress
party here.
More than projecting Sonia Gandhi as the saviour from the Gandhi
family, they expect her to win over its losing vote bank of Catholics, by addressing a
rally in Panaji on 17 January.
But the opposition parties, by and large, disagree.
They have even shifted the venue from Campal grounds, where all
Congress rallies are normally held, to Azad Maidan, a small ground in the capital city,
which cannot accommodate more than 5000 people.
"Wait and watch", says Goa PCC chief Shantaram Naik, instead
of stating any figure of the crowd they are expecting. "The venue is shifted for
sentimental reasons", he says.
Late Rajiv Gandhi had addressed his first public meeting after becoming
the party general secretary and the last public meeting before getting assassinated, at
the same venue.
"Sentiments do not work in an educated state like Goa. If they are
expecting to regain Catholic vote bank, they will not succeed", claims union law
minister Ramakant Khalap. He had roped into Catholic constituencies in last elections to
win the North Goa seat.
The major blow the Congress received was from the United Goans
Democratic Party Churchill Alemao, who literally hijacked this vote bank in South Goa.
"From religion point of view, it is as good as P A Sangma or George Fernandes coming
to Goa", quips Radharao Gracias, the UGDP spokesman.
But the PCC chief thinks otherwise. "Her visit to Goa will get our
vote bank, including Catholics, back to us from the UGDP and the MGP", feels Naik.
Even his political opponent and rebel Congress leader, deputy chief
minister Wilfred de Souza, does not deny it.
"In fact that is the sole purpose of getting Sonia Gandhi to Goa.
Otherwise why should she bother about such a small state, which has only two seats",
asks Shripad Naik, the local BJP leader.
But Praveen Davar, who is presently camping here as Gandhi’s
observer, claims that Goa is included in the campaign schedule only to complete her
southern tour.
More than the Congress cadres or the local people, the media seems to
be more enthusiastic about the rally, as many journalists from neighbouring Maharashtra
and Karnataka states, besides private TV channels are expected to dash in the tourist
state to cover the rally.
