Goa Assembly Election 2022: An interesting aspect of the assembly elections in Goa today is that there is a fight between families in Congress and BJP. Congress has given tickets to BJP’s Michael Lobo and his wife Delilah. On the other hand, BJP, which talked about one family one ticket, finally gave ticket to Atanasio Monserrate from Panaji assembly seat and his wife Jennifer from Taligao seat.
Not just one, but BJP has given ticket to Health Minister Vishwajit Rane from Valpoi assembly constituency, while his wife Deviya Rane, who is contesting her first election, will contest from Porim constituency on a BJP ticket.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant defended the move, saying, “We have given tickets to only one couple (Vishwajit and Deviya Rane). This was an exception, as it was their family.” Monserrates is the current MLA.
When did ‘Family Raj’ start in Goa?
According to a report in the Times of India, family rule in Goa began in 1967, when Goa’s first Chief Minister Dayanand Bandodkar contested and won from Marcaim in 1963, while daughter Sasikala won from neighboring Ponda. When Bandodkar died five years later while in office, Sasikala succeeded him.
Michael Lobo, who was earlier with the BJP, left the party along with his wife Delilah after it became clear that neither of them would be included in the BJP’s candidate list in January. Michael resigned as MLA and cabinet minister and the husband-wife team is now contesting from Congress from Calangute and Siolim respectively.
The Congress welcomed Lobo with open arms and ratified his ticket in 2012 despite the disastrous result being given 12 tickets to six families.
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Lobo said, “It is not a family secret. My wife has been sarpanch for 10 years and panch member for five others (in Para). She is on her own in politics. Barring two wards (in Siolim), I campaigned there. Haven’t either.” She said she believed that too many women should be involved in social work and politics and “should not rely solely on the goodwill of their husbands.”
The Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) has fielded Dhavalikar brothers Ramkrishna and Pandurang apart from the Congress and the BJP. Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) has fielded Kiran and Kavita Kandolkar and father-daughter duo Churchill and Valanka Alemao.
“I don’t know why everyone questions politicians when it’s acceptable for a doctor to encourage his children to follow in his footsteps,” Churchill said. Stating that Valanka entered politics on his own, he questioned, “What about Sonia Gandhi and Rahul? What about Uddhav Thackeray and his son (Aditya)?”
Exclusive: ‘We will not vote for money’
Former state election commissioner Prabhakar Timble said family rule in politics is not limited to Goa only. TOI quoted Timble as saying, “Earlier politics was like priesthood. Those interested in social service or helping less privileged people ventured into politics. Now politics has become a scientifically organized social business, hence Politicians see it in terms of investment and returns.”
Voting began on Monday morning in Goa, where 301 candidates are in the fray for 40 assembly seats. Voting began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm in the single-phase election in the coastal state.
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