By Mayabhushan Nagvenkar

Panaji, Aug 29 (IANS): The roulette of unkept political promises vis-a-vis relocation of offshore casinos from the state capital, is likely to out-spin yet another deadline on August 30, when a promise made by Panaji MLA Atanasio Monserrate, to shift casino vessels out of the Mandovi river within 100 days of being elected, expires.

Monserrate, who won the Panaji by-election in May on a Congress ticket, joined the BJP in July along with nine other Congress MLAs. He says he may need some more time to fulfil the promise.

Removal of casinos was one of the key issues in the Panaji by-election, necessitated due to death of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. Opposition parties are now increasing pressure on the BJP-led coalition government, as well as Monserrate, to come good on the promise.

"Now that Monserrate, who was a Congressman when he made the promise and is now a BJP MLA, it's up to him and the BJP to ensure that the casinos are shut," Aap Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Valmiki Naik said on Thursday.

The Congress also wants Monserrate to keep his promise. "The Congress had backed Monserrate at the by-election and thus it was party to his promise. Despite his switch over to the BJP, it's bound by that promise too. If they don't shut the offshore casinos, then they are up to the old tricks," Congress spokesperson Trajano D'Mello told IANS.

The casino industry has much to do with Goa's contemporary political history. The first offshore casino licences were released in 1999. Under the Congress-led coalition in 2007-12, the industry, especially offshore casinos, flourished.

At the time, Parrikar as opposition leader became the symbol of the anti-casino movement and his promise to drive way casinos from here along with other factors catapulted him to power in 2012.

Once in power, Parrikar and subsequent BJP-led regimes between 2012 and 2019 saw bigger, larger casinos park themselves in the Mandovi river. No it was the opposition's term to accuse Parrikar of being in league with the casino industry.

Currently, there are six offshore and 10 onshore casinos, which function from the numerous five-star resorts that dot the coastal state. Casinos contribute around Rs 500 crore in direct taxes and licence fees to the state exchequer.

Monserrate claims he would keep by the promise, but it would take some time. "Promises are meant to be kept, not broken. They will be removed," Monserrate said and added, he was in touch with Goa Garbage Management Minister Michael Lobo to relocate casinos to the latter's Assembly constituency of Calangute, a popular beach village in North Goa.

Lobo said he was warming up to the idea. "I am requesting the government to shift the casinos to the Aguada Bay (located off Calangute coastline)," Lobo said.

Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, caught in the swirling controversy, earlier this month tried to slow the roulette by talking about banning locals from entering casino.

But whether the lights will dim on the glitz/glamour of Goa's casinos or not, is anybody's guess.