Digambar for status-quo?

Apparently, Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat, is a compulsive status-quoist in his efforts to retain the top political post in the state. That's why the much-threatened change in his cabinet hasn't happened yet. Maharashtra polls was the pretext taken to postpone the decision of dropping a minister or two and replacing them with those for long longing to be ministers. The polls are over, and a government has taken seat in Mumbai after much wrangling for the loaves and fishes of power between the Congress and NCP there. Yet, there's no sign of any cabinet reshuffle in our Goa.

Kamat, according to Congress insiders, is a strong votary of Newton's third law of motion, not in physics but politics. Therefore, he isn't too keen to act, lest he'll have to save his CM's chair through the turbulence of the reaction. So lacking in inertia is this CM that his politics is seemingly defeating the very principal that has ruled Goa's political scenario since 1990, of politics being dynamic, not static.

But, the calm on the surface is deceptive. If sources are to be believed, dissidence is taking root and a whole load of them, including Dayanand Narvekar, Pandurang Madkaikar, the Alemaos and their new found friend, Mickky, are prodding Speaker, Pratapsing Raoji Rane, to make the move and challenge Digambar's leadership. The senior Rane seems willing, especially after junior Rane has reportedly agreed to stay out of the cabinet if Papa gets to be the CM again. It is in light of these backroom developments that Rane senior made the strong statement against Sanatan Saunstha, saying the right-wing organisation should be banned. A stand, diametrically opposite to the Digambar's on the issue.

Rane watchers say, its typical of him to play such softball politics. It's his way of testing the waters. Interestingly, Digambar too is a player of similar political technique -- defensive -- unlike serve-and-volley politicians like the Parrikars, Luizinho's, Churchill Alemao's and Dr Willy's. This Digambar-Rane rally, therefore promises to be a long one, with both sticking to the baseline.

Goa Police: Led from the middle?

Not many police chiefs have been the 'real bosses' of the force they head in Goa. In fact, it's always been the No 2 that called the shots. Except perhaps for Dhuriya of the 1990s and more recently Amod Kant, the Director General of Police (DGPs) in Goa were all left playing second fiddle to the DIGs of Qamar Ahmad's and Karnail Singh's ilk. The scene seems no different today. In fact, it has 'progressed' to the Number 3 running the show. DGP Bassi and his second-in-command, Inspector General of Police, KD Singh, are tweedling their thumbs and it's Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, Yadav, who's the operational boss of the men in uniform in our state.

Journos got to see this state of things in the police force one Saturday afternoon. It was Saturday, October 31, when a group of journos dashed off to DGP Bassi's Altinho residence after success eluded all their efforts to get confirmation and information on the arrests of Vinay Talekar and Vinayak Patil by the SIT investigating the Margao blast case. For 20 whole minutes, the DGP made no appearance, and when finally he did, Bassi didn't have much to offer. He plainly admitted he didn't know the 'exact details' like the name of those arrested, etc., etc. But, he said he would ask DIG Yadav to hold a briefing and requested the journos to meet the latter in his cabin at the Police Headquarters. That done, some of the correspondents of outstation news organisations who have early deadlines, then requested the DGP to ensure that Goa Police's official spokesperson, SP (CID/SB) Atmaram Deshpande, pre-pones his daily briefing from 6 pm to 5 pm. Bassi agreed to tell Deshpande. Satisfied, the group of journos decided to leave Bassi's residence but he insisted they do that only after sipping a cup of tea. He summoned his cook and asked him to serve the guests tea. Unfortunately, the tea never came, and another twenty minutes later, Bassi discovered to his horror that his cook hadn't obeyed his order and instead got busy doing something else.

Profusely apologising for keeping them waiting, he then resigned to the journos leaving without the promised cup of tea.

Dashing down to the police headquarters from Altinho, the journos were in for a ruder shock. DIG Yadav, who Bassi had promised would brief them, the journos found was stubbornly non-cooperative. He refused to take any questions and spoke only in mono-syllabals, reading out bare minimum details of Talekar and Patil's arrest. And, to top it all, Deshpande had his briefing that evening well beyond 5.30 pm!