Behind the News: Voices from Goas Press | Page 4

Ben Saldanha of PTI in Panjim filed a report based on my
interview; so did Joshi of The Times of India bureau. As a
representative of a news agency, Saldanha, of course, had to be
objective and he was. As a matter of fact, he would often feed me
stories about the other two parties, based on the 'inside' information he
had received. He himself couldn't use that information for his news
agency, but I could. And whenever I mentioned this 'fact' to my editors,
I was told to just let it pass.
Now, as the campaign was getting into high gear, another friend L. S.
Bhandare, an architect by profession, who represented UNI (United
News of India) told me that the United Goans' campaign (workers
dashing about in open trucks with loud music and handing out
campaign literature) reminded him of elections in London, England. He
too drew my attention to how successfully the UG party was appealing
to the voters.
Convinced
But having persuaded myself willfully with auto-suggestion, and
having been on a one-track crusade, I remained convinced that
Congress would win the day. On the eve of the election, a day of pause
in electioneering, I wrote an upbeat story (about three takes) and
handed it to Mr. Salkhade, the news editor from Maharashtra. He

scanned the intro and set it in the tray of stories for the front page. Then
he looked up and said to me, "You know, Kakodkar is going to be the
chief minister of Goa."
It was about 4 p.m. Something in the tone of his voice gave me pause.
Then a wild notion entered my head, a spur-of-the-moment impulse,
with no rhyme or reason, a mad folly that sometimes seizes lovers at
play. I phoned Kakodkar.
"Hello, Purushottam." Although only 28, I was now on first-name basis
with him.
"Hello Ben."
"It's a day of rest for you today. Is everything okay?"
"Fine."
"I've just finished writing my lead story for the paper tomorrow. Looks
like Congress will win with an overwhelming majority. You must be
pleased with the campaign. What do you think?"
"We have to wait and see," he said in a voice devoid of any emotion,
but not exhausted. In this respect, Kakodkar came across as cool and
circumspect, a man in full control of his emotions.
Mr. Salkhade was busy editing copy at the other end of the newsroom,
beyond earshot. That wild notion came rushing again, prompting me to
make the pitch, even if it was only hypothetical.
"Purushottam, can I ask you something?"
"Sure, of course."
"You know our paper has been very good to you and the Congress. And
I, more than anybody else, have been responsible for all the publicity
you've received. Soon you'll become the chief minister of Goa. Now I
want to ask you: what will you do for me?"
A pause and, "What do you mean?"
"What I mean is, if you become the chief minister, can I be your press
secretary?"
"I can't answer that."
"Why not?"
"I can't do it."
"Listen, I know you're not the chief minister yet. But in the event that
you do become the chief minister, could you not at least tell me what
your disposition will be?"
"No."

"You know, I can't believe you're saying this. I am not asking you for a
job. I already have a job. All I am asking is, if you become the chief
minister, what will you do for me? That's all."
"I can't do anything," he said.
"That's the answer I get after all that I have done for you? I am
disappointed. Goodbye and good luck tomorrow."
"Thank you," he said and put the phone down first. I pictured him, in
his customary white khadi bush shirt and pants, wearing a
self-righteous expression on his face.
During this call, over the carriage of my Underwood typewriter, I was
watching the news editor for my voice carried unusually far. But he
was focused on his work and didn't look up in my direction.
I lit up a cigarette and hunched over the typewriter, dismayed beyond
description. I had heard that Kakodkar was a highly principled man,
and then with a sinking feeling in my gut, I realized I was being used, a
means to the end. I shall never forget that moment.
Then I walked to my favorite bar to nurse my bruised ego.
Three days later, the election results came out. The Congress was
wiped out without a single seat in Goa. The MG won 14 seats to the
UG's 12, with two independents, plus an independent winning in Diu
and a lone Congress victory in Daman.
I kept brooding about Kakodkar. Did he know something that I didn't?
Was that why he said he couldn't do