Mickky-Joaquim clash at Cong HQ

BY A GT REPORTER
PANJIM: Hardly had the dust settled over the Congress-NCP tug-of-war for the North Goa seat, a wordy duel broke out at the Congress headquarters here between Urban Development Minister, Joaquim Alemao and Tourism Minister Francisco (Mickky) Pacheco, at a joint meeting of the two parties to chart out the alliance’s electioneering strategy.

The meeting was called by the GPCC president Subhash Shirodkar at the Congress office on Wednesday (April 1), Panjim, to decide strategy and finalise meetings in all the assembly segments of South Goa Parliamentary constituency. Chief Minister Digambar Kamat, MP Francisco Sardinha and most of the legislators were present.

The trouble began when South Goa MP, Francisco Sardinha made a plea for support from all to ensure his re-election. This evoked an instantaneous reaction from Mickky, who recalled that some Congress ministers and MLAs had ditched him in the by-election.

Mickky also claimed he had ample evidence to prove his charge. He also brought to Sardinha’s notice that some Congress ministers were still working against him and urged him to bring them in line, making it obvious that he was referring to PWD Minister Churchill Alemao, who incidentally was not present.

This apparently annoyed Joaquim who demanded that Mickky should substantiate his charges, and that’s when Mickky shot back: “Please, I’m not talking to you. I’m talking to Sardinha and the Chief Minister,” Mickky said much to the chagrin of Joaquim who in a fit of anger abused him.

This resulted in both abusing each other in unquotable language and the scene almost came to blows even as others tried to pacify them, sources said.

Revenue Minister Jose Philip D’Souza pacified Mickky even as both of them along with Praful Hede walked out of the hall anguished over the incident.

The Chief Minister, Shirodkar and Sardinha rushed out of the room and requested them to cool down. But the NCP leaders felt they were invited for the meeting and were insulted and demanded apology from Joaquim.

As Joaquim refused to apologise for the incident, all the NCP members including Tivim MLA, Nilkant Halarnkar, former Minister Surendra Sirsat and Adv Avinash Bhosale left the venue. NCP’s state unit president, Dr Wilfred de Souza, did not attend the meeting, as he was reportedly indisposed.

In the process, the meeting of legislators from North Goa could not be held. All of the NCP members later met in a city hotel and threatened to chalk out their future strategy if the Congress failed to adhere to ‘coalition dharma.’

GPCC president Subhash Shirodkar refused to comment on the incident.

“What way is it news for the media. Friends today clash and become friends again tomorrow,” he said, adding that the meeting mainly finalised the campaigning programme in South Goa starting from April 5.

Meanwhile, Sardinha will file his nomination papers before the returning officer at Margao at 12 noon today (April 2). Former Minister Domnic Fernandes will also file nomination papers as a dummy candidate, party sources informed.

Jitendra Deshprabhu who has been chosen as NCP nominee for North Goa constituency will resign from the Congress file his nomination papers on Thursday (April 3).