Even in heat of anti-incumbency, Shripad plays it cool in BJP bastion of North Goa

Shripad Naik has won the North Goa seat since 1999, uninterrupted, and judging from his easy demeanour, looks to be headed for a record sixth term

One of his grandchildren tugs at his hand. “Aaba, let us play cricket.” Despite ten others in his home living room, trying to draw his attention to different issues, Shripad Naik does not ignore his grandson’s plea.

Naik gently places his hand on the child’s head and convinces him to play outside in the home courtyard.

“It is the last three days before the elections. They are the busiest,” he explains.

Even before he wakes up his day has already begun. When Naik steps into his living room at 7am, the three sofas in the room are already filled with visitors.

Past 11am, the flow of visitors is unceasing. He soon moves business to his office adjacent to the home in Ribandar.

A group from Yavatmal in Maharashtra has found their way here despite the maze of Smart City works blocking the road leading to Naik’s family home. Many are coming in just to wish him luck for the May 7 Lok Sabha polls.

By 11.30am, Naik, with still no time to change out of his home clothes, wishes he had timed a bath in his schedule as well.

No matter the numbers, he does not forget to offer every visitor a beverage of their choice. The daughters-in-law are trying to fill in big shoes after the passing of Naik’s wife in a tragic road accident a couple of years ago.

“My daughters-in-law do their best. But my wife knew the works. I do feel the void. But my daughters-in-law are learning fast,” he says.

Finding a few moments of break from visitors, an associate tries to fill in Naik on work matters. The minister whispers instructions on how to tackle the situation.

At 12noon, the schedule has been unforgiving, and the sitting North Goa MP seeks some time to bathe, eat and rest before home minister Amit Shah’s public meeting at Mapusa begins that evening.

In the afternoon, son Siddhesh explains he spent the morning campaigning for his father in Divar. At 3.30pm, he has to leave for the Mopa airport as part of the team welcoming Shah.

“After all these years, there is no room for nervousness. Our karyakartas work as if it is a mission. No other party has such an organisation and that is our biggest strength,” says Naik, a five-time incumbent seeking a sixth term in the Lok Sabha.

Defiantly, Naik says he will create history this time around by polling more than his highest recorded margin thus far of 1,05,000 votes.
Not everyone agrees that Naik is a miracle free of anti-incumbency.

A youth from neighbouring Gaundalim, Ghanashyam Parab, passing by outside on his scooter says, “All my life I have been a BJP voter, who has worked for the party in my village, but this time around I have asked everyone to vote for the Congress. Some may even vote for Revolutionary Goans. I own a dairy farm and have had to run from pillar to post for govt aid. Shripad Naik has been of no help, despite asking.”

Naik though believes that there are only ‘hyper local’ issues and nothing left for him to pursue with the Centre.

By 3.30pm, he is rested and ready in a crisp white kurta. He wants to be early at the meeting venue “to meet his people”. Naik walks inside a room in his home a couple of times to check in a mirror that his face is camera-ready.

At Amit Shah’s public meeting venue in Mapusa, it is a riot as soon as Naik enters. Everyone wants a priced selfie with their ‘Bhau’.

“Kashe asa Bhau,” he is asked time and again, as Naik moves around the venue shaking hands with the elderly, women, and children. Within minutes, he is left wiping beads of sweat off his face, but not his inviting smile.

“Politics is a means to do social work. In the end, we are all playing our part in the life that we have been given. If you sit with an inflated ego, the same people will curse you. If your behaviour is consistent then people will embrace you,” he had said philosophically, chatting on his way to the venue.

He demonstrates it at the Mapusa ground by tapping the shoulders and smiling at a karyakarta who missed Naik while being busy distributing bottles of water.
Naik is directed to a VIP room at the back, but he is out in minutes at the venue gate, worrying some karyakartas may be stopped by the cops at the gate for want of passes.

“The PM has a message for us when he calls himself a Pradhan Sevak. I work with the same sentiment,” he says.

Not to disappoint anyone, Naik does a second round of the public meeting venue at Mapusa before it begins. A pat here and a tap there, whispering greetings as campaign songs blare from the speakers, Naik ensures he indulges all requests. He lets out a hearty laugh when told he is being treated like a celebrity.

Having served so many terms, what new could he have to offer a sixth time around?

“The govt is giving out so many loans to create entrepreneurs. Many Goans have abandoned their traditional businesses. We need to get them to take advantage of these schemes and revive their traditional work. I also want to see that skill development supplements education. Goa’s fishing sector, for instance, has vast potential, what with exports and all.”

There is another tap on his shoulder, it is time for another selfie, flashing his by-now-famous disarming smile.