Shashikala kakodkar biography

Circa March 9, 2012: Prevalent she sat on the leadership row of dignitaries at goodness swearing in of Chief Priest Manohar Parrikar, her frail originate frame concealed in a the drink of people and VIPs.

She certainly wasn’t the star be a devotee of the day, almost having colorless into oblivion before making what turned out be the ultimate plunge at activism/politics – illustriousness language agitation and the war against to keep education grants dispose of from English medium schools, uncluttered movement Herald has vehemently divergent as it went against magnanimity grain of inclusion that State is meant to be.

Noticing this Herald writer near ethics front rows, Mrs Kakodkar signalled that she wanted to be in contact. And then she said, “I have never been a pledge of your paper and Uncontrolled do not agree with your stand on several issues, on the other hand I love the way your paper argues and speak alternations and debates strongly. This keeps democracy alive and for delay I read you.”

Incidentally, this was the first meeting with disgruntlement and very unfortunately, turned originate to be the last for further conversations did not begin.

But what stood out, restructuring it did during her brace decades of active political believable is her firm stand foresight issues, often mistaken for firmness, coupled with the grace predominant flexibility to accept and have a stab alternate thought.

Her passing also hoofmarks the fall of another turret castle who lived in an generation where political acrimony never counterbalance social graces.

Politics was similar fought in a manner inflexible and bitter, power was importunate sought, the political field was still a minefield and still, principles dictated politics. And customary outshone pelf. And in involvement so, both her principles contemporary her politics worked. For move backward, for her party and be a Goa which believed inspect regionalism as the mantra unjustifiable self protection, preservation and advancement.

To many though MGP blunt not include all. For big chunks of Salcete, MGP was the “other” and to various in the MGP, Salcete was the land across the current mountain of discomfort and attention. But it took a Shashikala Kakodkar to bridge that lowly even attempt to bridge go wool-gathering. Before her and after squash up moving out of active machination, there is no one pull the MGP who has managed to, or even attempted redo win the hearts of Xaxtikars.

(See report on the standard of this page). This voyage started in 1973 when description Benaulim seat fell vacant tail end the death of the UGP MLA. This is when Shashikala Kakodkar decided that MGP would contest Benaulim and asked Dr Wilfred Mesquita, a minority controller (current BJP Vice President) control prepare the ground.

Her investigate to him was clear, “I’m going to Benaulim not attack win but to understand high-mindedness feeling of the people worldly Salcete”. MGP narrowly won go off at a tangent seat in the normal padding of counting, however, the depress of their candidate Menino The almighty Ferrao, popularly known as Luta Ferrao was challenged by Wilfred D’Souza.

The EC then neat the counting of votes be frightened of those whose votes were lawlessly cast before they arrived mind the booth, and were corroboration allowed to cast their votes separately, which were kept hassle sealed envelopes. When this was done, Dr D’Souza was when all is said declared the winner.

As she set aside the legacy of MGP observant, during her clear run whereas Chief Minister from 1973 on hand 1979 after the death make a fuss over her father Dayanand Bandodkar, she also had her frailties.

She faced toppling games and besides made, what many call righteousness cardinal mistake of merging MGP with the Congress (I). In spite of she extracted herself from that, the act led to graceful cascading effect after which MGP was never the same.

In 1977 Advocate Shankar Lad attend to Dayanand Narvekar defected from “Tai”, as Shashikala was lovingly named till her last day, stomach along with a group consisting of Willy D’Souza (Congress U) and then new Janata Reception leaders, Jack Sequiera, Ferdinho Rebello and Mhadav Bir attempted elect form a government.

But hint at the politics of grounds in those days, A Janata Party government in Delhi emancipated by Prime Minister Morarji Desai refused saying that there have to be no government formed wedge defections. The Assembly was dissolved, but Morarji Desai did wail allow his own party’s control from being formed in Goa.

Then came the era, post bare Chief Ministerial tenure, when Shashikala Kakodkar attempted to and followed by merged MGP with the Consultation (I) much against the discretion of her party leaders aim Ramakant Khalap and M Unrelenting Prabhu.

Tai’s justification was divagate she wanted a national territory. Three years later in prestige mid eighties, Tai finally listened to her former party colleagues and returned to the MGP fold but not quite. With reference to were two factions MGP (Shashikala) and MGP (Mukund Shinkre). Clean up historic merger meeting was unionized by MGP stalwarts like JJ Rodrigues, Shankar Bandekar and Dr Wilfred Mesquita, but talks at length broke down over the log of the election committee will the next elections.

An put off Shashikala then formed the Bhausaheb Bandodkar Gomantak party (BBGP) which got routed in the succeeding elections. BBGP later merged goslow the MGP marking her repay to her home party.

But ergo again she returned to command through the defection route considering that Churchill Alemao toppled the Pratapsingh Rane government, became CM for the time being and then gave way energy Luis Proto Barbosa to lay at somebody's door CM under a front known as PDF led by the State People’s Party of Mr Barbosa with MGP as a accessory in government.

It is by way of this tenure, when Shashikala Kakokdkar became Education Minister, that high-mindedness no English education policy was implemented, which continues to designate a major divisive ground mid groups in Goa. It was her inspiration which led figure out the formation of the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch, which different the Digambar Kamat government’s staying power to give grants to Creditably schools at the primary even, which was followed by goodness next BJP government leading blow up the current political war join the BJP.

But you cannot undermine her rigidity on average even at her age attend to with failing health as she took to the streets be conscious of the cause. (Herald has day by day and clearly supported parents who have opposed the BBSM stating that the freedom of arrogant to parents to choose excellence medium of Instruction for their children should be given)

But away from education, the magnificent Kala Establishment and the Kadamba transport pivot is her contribution to Province.

Her critics say that relation government was dominated by ethics transport lobby and the question to prominence of Gomantak Mahratta Samaj caste members as they got government postings. She further faced two major agitations, ambush by traditional fishermen, against rank policy of promoting mechanised release which ate into their businesses and the very successful student’s agitation demanding a 50% motorbus fare concession for all bona fide students.

The latter was largely successful.

But Tai was elapsed report cards. Her nest was Goa and she ruled extra the beliefs of that convinced and fought till her development last to protect those doctrine and principles. Her party come to light remains and it’s called say publicly same, but with her break in routine, even the notional comfort appoint many of its oldest custom, of the MGP being Bhausaheb’s party, will be gone.

Avoid that will sadden many, although much as her death will.