Goa, Nov. 11 -- JOAQUIM GOES

Elections are around the corner, and Goa's political parties seem determined to turn democ racy into a comedy of errors. Unfortunately, the joke is on us - the people of Goa. Until recently, the Con gress resembled a house with so many cracks that even the strongest political adhesive could not hold it together. Then came the Goy Rakhonn Yatra, culminating in Rahul Gandhi taking time away from his political bat tles in New Delhi to attend to the party's troubles in Goa. Whether his visit has restored lasting unity or merely postponed the next inevitable fissure remains to be seen.

Meanwhile, the Revolu tionary Goans Party (RGP), appears to be undergoing a revolution within its own ranks, with rival factions ...