Along with the beaches, fish and football, Goa also boasts of one of India’s unique form of transportation, motorcycle taxis.
Motorcycles with yellow boards dot the city of Panjim and are often used as a speedy mode of transport in the coastal capital.
CNN-News18 met with a few of the drivers, known as pilots, to understand the mood during the elections.
“We miss Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Manohar Parrikar. There will never be another CM like him,” said Narendra, who has been a pilot for close to two decades.
Narendra just wants the new government to keep the livelihood of the poor in mind.
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“We really don’t care who forms the government. We want the government to ensure we don’t starve,” he said.
Echoing Narendra’s sentiment, Syed Subhan, another motorcycle pilot, said, “When Parrikar was the CM, he gave us Rs 2,000 per month. Sawant should have continued it. We also have to care for our families. Let them bring back that scheme.”
Among the pilots is Prashanth Naik, a local star as he was chosen by Rahul Gandhi for his ride in Panjim in November last year.
Talking about his experience, Prashanth said that he felt elated and honoured that a person of Rahul Gandhi’s stature chose a “simple man like him” to take a ride.
“He was so nice to me. During the ride, he asked me what our problems were. He told me to come to the Congress office and voice my concerns on behalf of the pilots of Goa. I was shy, but we spoke a lot about politics,” Prashanth told this reporter.
Vishwajeet V, a local resident and a friend of the pilots parked near Panjim’s iconic Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, feels that the BJP has worked towards the development of the state. They have given good roads and have tried to help people, especially during the pandemic.
“The BJP should continue. There has been progress under their regime. But the CM must change. He is not like Parrikar and cannot match Parrikar’s administrative capabilities,” Vishwajeet said.
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