BY A GT REPORTER
MARGAO, APRIL 19, 2009: Only three days to go for the battle of ballot in the state but all does not seem to be well in the Congress as was evident at a rally organised by PWD Minister Churchill Alemao at the open-air Blasco hall, Navelim yesterday evening.
Ironically, the Aleamaos -- Churhill and Joaquim -- asked for votes to the Congress but in the same breath gave a veiled threat to the party if it took them lightly.
First, the younger brother, Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao reminded the party leaders present at the rally that when the Congress party was in a crisis it was he brought Churchill into the party fold. He warned that he would quit if any harm (disqualification or sacking from the party) befell on his elder brother.
He also lashed out at some of Churchill’s detractors calling upon the Benaulim residents to vote out NCP MLA at the next assembly elections.
Churchill hinted that in the possibility of he being disqualified, he would accept the decision and remain at home but not before taking the other MLAs with him. Thus, indirectly threatening to topple the present Congress-led coalition government as he also interestingly quipped ‘do not force me to play politics (with the party).’
He reiterated his earlier remarks that he would remain in politics as long as he had the support of the people but would quit only if the people sought so. Adding that he was afraid of no one other than God and his people.
Churchill also lamented about the Congress failure to honour the agreement made to him over party nomination for his daughter Adv ValankaAlemao for South Goa Parliamenatry seat. He quickly clarified that he did not desire to promote his family dynasty in the political field but that Valanka was genuinely keen in working for the people.
The PWD minister claimed that though the party has hurt him a lot, he had joined the party upon the request of the AICC president Sonia Gandhi. He further alleged that his bete noire and CWC permanent member Luizinho Faleiro along with the Save Goa Front (SGF) president Antonio Gauncar had moved the disqualification petition before Rane that was initially dismissed but later presented by Mickky.
The former SGF leader also took a swipe at the chief minister remarking that had he (Churchill) to be the CM, he would have dropped Mickky from the cabinet for filing the disqualification petition against his own cabinet colleague.
Rebuke Sardinha, says Churchill
Churchill yesterday moved the GPCC president Subhash Shirodkar urging him to reprimand South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha for his statement that he would not visit his constituency but instead would be available to the public at his chamber in South Goa Collectorate every week on Wednesdays.
Churchill stated that this attitude was unbecoming of an elected representative. Shirodkar agreed to oblige the PWD minister while also assuring that a meeting would be convened after the polls to solve the woes of the private tourist taxi operators in the South Goa coastal belt.
