Politics of high security number plates

Politics, they say, is all about numbers. But right now in Goa, politics is all about number plates!
Somebody, who's dying to get a beacon light on his car, has seen the opportunity of removing the one on Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavlikar's car. Could it be Dayanand Narvekar? Could it be Mauvin Godinho? Or may be the original minister of the number plates himself, Pandurang Madkaikar?
We don't know who it really is. But some have-not among our netas it surely is, who is convinced that this whole High Security Registration Plates (HSRPs) controversy will ultimately culminate with scalp of Sudhin, and thus pave the way for him or her (whoever it is) to don a beacon light on his/her SUV. If not, then Sankalp Amonkar and his boys, wouldn't have had the guts to take law in their hands, agitate on the streets and flex their muscles demanding, not the scrapping of HSRPs, but that Sudhin be dropped as a minister. At least not after the bashing they got at the hands of Babush Monserrate and Co, when they rallied in Taleigao in support of Dayanand Narvekar's Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat.
As for the HSRPs, isn't it a bit too much that so many should be taking to the streets against them because of the additional burden of Rs 616 for two-wheelers, Rs 728 for three-wheelers, Rs 1,344 for all four-wheelers and Rs 1,400 for trucks and buses?
As for the BJP, which is again reviving its anti-HSRP agitation after the Ganesh Chathurti break it took, its vigour in pursuing the issue is puzzling. With its North Goa MP and state president, Shripad Naik, in the forefront, it sure needs whatever comes its way to keep its long-out-of-power-after-tasting-power cadre in good spirits. Perhaps it wants to stick to its Arun Shouriean 'Alice in blunderland' brand image. Wasn't this whole standardisation of vehicle number plates initiated by the BJP-led NDA government of Atalji? And here in Goa, wasn't it Madkaikar as transport minister in the government of Manohar Parrikar, who set the ball rolling? And mind you, not even a pin moved in the chambers of ministers then, without the knowledge or green signal of Parrikar, leave alone a file on HSRPs.
With some complaints coming in that the numbers on the plates have faded in less than 24 hours, the only issue as far as the HSRPs is concerned, seems to be the quality of the ones being handed out by the chosen contractor here in Goa. Otherwise, on paper at least, Sudhin seems as clean as the clothes he wears -- spic and span.
But then in politics, how clean or dirty you are, counts for nothing. What counts are the numbers....errr number plates!

Aldona’s loss is Taleigao's gain!
It won't be long before the Rajiv Gandhi IT Habitat gets back on track. In Congress circles, news is that 'notes' (sacks full of them) have either changed or are in the process of changing hands and work will soon commence on the project, inaugurated with much fanfare by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with Madam herself in attendance.
Soniaji wasn't too impressed with the way Dayanand Narvekar handled the project. More so, because it had the name of her late husband tagged to it. Congressmen who've been closely following the Congress president say, she's extremely sensitive to anything that involve's Rajiv's name, and anyone who is the cause controversy is sure to face her ire. That's why, a heavyweight of the stature of Narvekar weighed for nothing and was reduced to the weight of a single hot potato.
Now, Education Minister, Babush Monserrate, has been placated and news in government circles is that the celebrated project will soon be back on track, with or without Taleigao Bachao Abhiyan. After all, it's not for nothing that Rajiv Shukla was down in Goa last week.
Easily its most successful pointsman in the ilk of Samajwadi Party's Amar Singh, the Congress relied Shukla, the portly journo-turned-politico from UP, because being as he is in the thick of things in cricket like Narvekar, he'd find it easy to account for all the black 'notes' and ensure Aldona's loss becomes a gain for Taleigao's boss!

Cabinet reshuffle?
The Congress' central emissaries came and went, but there's no sign of any dropping, adding or reshuffle as so many of GT's peers had claimed there would be. There won't be either, not until the dust settles on the next round of elections -- the Assembly polls in Arunachal Pradesh, Haryana and Maharashtra. But as they say, there's no smoke without fire, all this smoke about the cabinet re-jig in Goa too had its fire -- the Alemao brothers.
According to insiders in the Congress, Churchill and Joaquim, are not 'our men' and this whole exercise of raising a storm over changes in the cabinet was meant to put the fear of life in them to bring them 'in line'. Hariprasad and Shukla's visit did just that.
Now, Kamat and Subhash Shirodkar will be preparing report cards on all the ministers, and it's unlikely that Churchill and Joaquim will not make the grade. Kamat for sure is unlikely to rock his own boat. As for Shirodkar, he could pull Churchill's legs a bit, given the latter's immense magnamity towards the former's nemesis and current Shiroda MLA, Mahadev Naik of the BJP.
But as of now, Dayanand Narvekar, Mauvin Godinho, Pandurang Madkaikar and Chandrakant (Babu) Kavlekar, they'll have to wait for yet another storm in Goa's political teacup, to hope to make it to the cabinet.
Cry babies all
The end for Goa's mining industry is coming. At least that's what the industry's Don Quixote, S Sudhir, wants us to believe.
'New Aussie mines will spell doom for Goa's ore' read a headline in one local newspaper. It quotes Sudhir, the CEO of the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters Association, saying something to the effect that new mines Down Under will be hell of a competition for Goa's low grade ore, and the industry here will be unable to fight.
Did we ever hear any Sudhir, or any of his big bosses ever say, 'we've done well?' even when their profits soared to Olympian heights and accounts in the Alps swelled through banking channels via Beijing?
The Aussies threat is all humbug. The real threat to Sudhir and his bosses is a certain Dr Simon sitting in a building at EDC's Patto Plazza, ironically built by the real estate firm of a mining magnate who no longer owns any mines in Goa.
Cry babies all. That's what Goa's mining industry has always been. And, it is the 'backbone' (sic) of our economy!
Has Nilkanth learnt the ropes?
Not very long ago, in these columns we had narrated how NCP's Tivim MLA, Nilkanth Halarnkar was struggling to get the administration to grant a 'vegetable vendor's' licence to one Mrs Phadte, his constituent. Even the Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, could not help him because some Congressman holding the reigns at the Goa State Horticulture Corporation (GSHC) was sabotaging it. Now, we learn that Nilkanth has 'grown' and Mrs Phadte has finally got her licence.

It so happened that the GSHC needed a licence from the North Goa Planning and Development Authority (NGPDA) for one of its projects in North Goa. But when its officer went to the NGPDA to pursue the file, he was confronted with Nilkanth who heads the Authority. 'Give Mrs Phadte's licence first, then you will get yours' was Nilkanth's fiat to the officer, and, that's how Phadte is now selling veggies at Revora.
We don't know if the quid-pro-quo has happened. But if GSHC has got it's licence from the NGPDA at the cost of mere 'vegetable vendor's' licence for Phadte, then Nilkanth hasn't quite learnt the ropes -- a 'vendor's licence' is too small a price to pay for a licence from this historic fountain of corruption called NGPDA!
Babu, Diggu in cold war
Babu Azgaonkar was chief guest at Babu Naik Memorial Quiz Contest and was introduced as the original 'Babu's' staunch supporter by the Margao political icon's son Bhai himself. That's when our present day 'Babu' fell for Bhai's flattery and seemingly forgot which party or government he really belonged too.
He began his speech in typical saffron parlance, and the finale was even more startling -- a dig at Diggu.
Babu said, the 'real Babu' never bothered about votes but stood for what's right.
"He would never collect a 'Moti Dongor' of shady elements just for votes" he thundered, never mind that Madgaonkars of the day kept complaining about 'Original Babu's' own Moti Dongor -- the Gandhi Market.
He even grumbled that the current government is the worst, the casino issue et al. After all, panchayats have nothing to do with casinos, whose managements can't 'kick back' to reach Dhargalim.
A week after the Quiz, Babu again hit the dais at the Dilip Sardessai Memorial awards, where he was guest of honour and Diggu Bab the chief guest.
As usual, the CM was an hour late, and when Babu took the mike, he made it a point to start his speech with how punctuality is paramount. He did get the crowd to burst into laughter, but Diggu was not impressed.
Do we read any politics in this cold war between Diggu who is Margao MLA and the Gandhi Market King?
Of course we do. The saffron camp is not too interested in sticking to Shramad, and is reportedly giving Bhai Naik a rather close look. With the Margao seat delimited to saffron contours during Diggu's days in the BJP and Babu likely to be in Bhai's basket, there could be a fight to the finish.
Wonder in this scenario, where Babu's current puppeteer, Vijai from Fatorda will stand!

Inputs from Gerard D'Souza and Neshwin Almeida