How important is money power in electoral politics? Political stalwarts whom JONQUIL SUDHIR spoke to are unanimous that money is an important factor.

UNLIKE HER FAMOUS, tourist-friendly neigh-bour Palolem, Poinguinim has long since been neglected and no one before even gave it a passing thought. Several politicians have frankly admitted that they do not know much about the area and have either never or rarely visited the region. They are not familiar with the people or their habits. But in a sudden change of fortune, whehter good or bad remains to be seen, all eyes in the State are now on the Poiguinim.

It all began when the elected representative of the people, Isidore Fernandes, resigned from the Assembly and joined the BJP. As a result, a bye-election has been scheduled for October 13. And since Isidore Fernandes left the Congress high and dry to jump on the saffron bandwagon, the election has become a prestigious issue woth both sides pulling out all the stops to win the election. Rumours are rife that voters are being wooed, not only with rife speeches and promises of development, but bags full of money. Surprised? Don’t be. Money, according to those in the business of politics, has a very important role to play in elections.

A fact acknowledged even by the Election Commission (EC), according to Dr. Wilfred D’ Souza. “The fact that the EC has imposed a ceiling on expenditure that can be incurred during the elections, means that it has accepted that money power is being and abused. It is not cheap to contest an election. Money is spent on hiring vehicles, loud speakers, public meetings, advertisements and towards salaries and meals of party workers. And the prices keep rising, so the expenditure on elections also keeps increasing.” “When Purushottam Kakodkar was contesting the parliamentary elections in 1971, the campaign cost Rs. 15,000. Today, a candidate does not spend less than Rs. Three lakhs.”

MASTER TACTICIAN: Dr. Wilfred D'Souza.

And the necessity for money to contest an election trickles down to the Panchayat and municipality level. If not on the election campaign, than in the post election victory party. The significance of money is such that Nirmala Sawant, former Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President, opines that 60% of the votes during an election are won with money, while only 40% are decided depending on the individual and the party he represents. And the money spent during one’s tenure as an MLA is much more. But, what is this money used for? How much of impact does it have on the outcome of an election? And when did this trend begin?

WHO STARTED IT?
According to several political stalwarts, the money-spending trend spurted in the 80s. Radharao Gracias says the money started flowing when the Congress came into power in Goa. “Till 1979, the commercial aspect of politics did not exist. The two dominant parties post-liberation, MG and UG, were not part of the national mainstream. They had certain ideologies and principles. And the people supported them based on these. After the Shashikala Kakodakar government was overthrown by Dayanand Narvekar, Dilkhush Dessai and Shankar Laad, the Congress took over Goa and money became an important factor. Money is used to buy a ticket to represent the party, money is given to other parties to put up weak candidates and money is used to buy votes.” Ramakant Khalap agrees. “When the Congress took over, they wanted to ensure that they retained power and adopted every means to make sure they succeeded.”

DETERIORATED
“Of course the situation has now deteriorated to such an extent that parties are using the Public Exchequer’s money to contest elections. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the ruling party handed out pre-dated DSS cheques even to financially stable senior citizens who had just turned 60.” Nirmala Sawant, argues that money only gained prominence during the last Assembly elections. “Prior to the 2002 Assembly elections, money was not significant. Previously, the use of money was controlled, now there are no inhibitions. The 2002 elections witnessed large circulation of money.”

And regardless of who started the trend, it cannot be denied that the people are accepting the ‘perks’ offered to them. “Gone are the days when people voted on ideology or party loyalty. They are no longer emotionally involved or guided by socio-economic factors,” says Ramakant Khalap. “They have outlived these. Now they want immediate benefits. They are looking at the financial, monetary benefits.” Uday Bhembre, former MLA, concurs with this view. “Previously the people were divided on communal or ‘casteist’ grounds. Parties stood for certain ideologies and people supported them accordingly. First it was the merger-non-merger issue, later it was the Opinion Poll. There was loyalty towards the party. But this is no longer the case.”

Nirmala Sawant attributes this to a change in the psyche of the people and the politicians. “It is not clear who has corrupted whom. In some ways the politicians have corrupted the people and in others the people have corrupted honest politicians.” Candidates, desperate to get elected or re-elected, offer the people ‘incentives’ for their vote. “Candidates give gifts to the electorate in the form of utensils, saris, mobiles… the list is endless,” says Dr. Willy.

At first, people took these out of compulsion - helplessness, unemployment, poverty - without realising the importance of their votes. Now accustomed to receiving these, it has now become almost a necessity for the people. Are the people getting greedy or are they making the most of a good opportunity? “It is partly fleecing and partly frustration,” according to Ramakant Khalap. Nirmala Sawant agrees. “People know that they become important during the elections and are ignored for the next five years. So they know that their best bet is to grab as much money or benefit in the shortest possible time.” And no one is spared. The young and the old, the rich and the poor, the lierate and the illiterate. “The only difference is that the poor are purchasable at Rs.100 while the rest are bought for a higher price,” states Radharao Gracias.

The two groups that are more pliable are the youth and the migrants. “There is a large floating population that do not have a stake in the outcome of the elections and can be bought,” says Dr. Willy. The youth too are easy targets. “The group that can be influenced are in the 15-20 age group, says Khalap. “Politicians target them as they comprise of potential voters in the future and those who have just won the right to exercise their franchise.” Uday Bhembre, however, does not agree. He is of the opinion that the older generation are more susceptible to these practices. “The elderly are not accustomed to democracy, many are poor and illiterate.”

Political stalwarts also, shockingly, affirm that the literacy of the voter does not make much of a difference. Literate or otherwise, the voter is intelligent and, based on experience, votes accordingly.

Regardless of the age group and social status of the beneficiaries, the fact remains that the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that the people have become more demanding. Not only during elections, but throughout the year. Dr. Willy has at least 50 visitors a day at his residence. “Every second day, there are requests for donations, sports equipment, to sponsor dances.” Ramakant Khalap also suffers the side effects that come with a life in politics. “People always want money. For clubs, kits, dances… And to top it all, every waddo has a church, chapel, temple to be renovated or upgraded. And most politicians indulge them thinking that they will work for them during the elections; shout slogans, denounce the opposition… but they won’t do it of course, unless you pay them and feed them. Female groups have also to be kept happy with saris and utensils.” Nirmala Sawant too has felt the financial burden of being an MLA. “The higher the position, the higher the expectations from the people. My tenure as an MLA was, financially, very taxing.”
And the phenomenon has percolated down to the panchayat level. Calvert Gonsalves, former deputy sarpanch of Colva, says that though he did not spend much money on his election campaign (a grand total of Rs.250 at the time), the victory party lasted fifteen days. However, he does acknowledge that other candidates, lacking in personality and a real desire to help the public, attempt to buy votes. Patricia Pinto, councillor at the Corporation of the City of Panjim, agrees thatin every ward, there are certain pockets whcih can be bought, if the candidate has the money and inlcination do so.

In fact, several politicians feel that the janta has become so money-oriented that they take money and material from all parties, but inevitably vote for the candidate of their choice. “No matter how much you need to, money can’t really win an election,” opines Ramakant Khalap. “Most people have decided who to vote for long before the money appears on their doorsteps.” Anacleto Viegas feels the same way. “Money may play its part, but it is not a deciding factor. You cannot buy all the people… If people accept money, it does not influence them. They have a mind of their own.” Which, according to Uday Bhembre, might mark the end of the money menace. “Money doesn’t always work. People take from both sides and then vote for the candidate of their choice. Politicians, realising this, might stop using money power.”

But until such time that politicians feel that pouring money into the voters’ pockets is an exercise in futility, they will continue to do so. And the current benefactors of the politicians’ ‘generosity’ are the timid, shy residents of Poinguinim. Used to living in obscurity, they are now in the spotlight. Will the money bags landing on their doorsteps have any bearing on their votes? The politicians featured here do not think so. They are of the opinion that the people of Poinguinim are well versed in the deeds and misdeeds of the candidates. Whether or not this is true, will only be revealed when the results of the Poinguinim by-elections are declared.

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