Churchill to contest independent if Valanka not given ticket
ARVIND TENGSE, MARGAO | 19 March 2014 13:43 IST
Former Congress minister Churchill Alemao has threatened to quit the party and contest Lok Sabha poll from South Goa if his daughter Valanka is not given the party ticket.
He however does not comment whether Valanka, the Goa Youth Congress president, will also quit the party if Aleixo Reginald Lourenco continues to be the party candidate.
“You ask Valanka what she would do”, he quipped when asked at a press conference he convened today afternoon to announce his decision.
The contradiction appeared crystal clear that Churchill would quit to contest if Valanka is not a Congress candidate but Valanka may not quit if she is not the candidate.
“I give 24 hours to the high command to reconsider its decision to make Lourenco the party candidate or I will enter the fray as an independent candidate by quitting the party”, announced Alemao.
His contesting as an independent would obviously benefit the Bharatiya Janata Party as he could split only the Congress votes, if not win.
He wants Valanka as the candidate since the Congress speaks of women empowerment, but does not mind if sitting MP Francisco Sardinha is also made the candidate.
“When I and Valanka had met Goa observer Digvijay Singh in Delhi, I had opined that Sardinha be given the ticket”, claimed the Congress heavyweight.
Sources in the Churchill camp claimed that Singh, after conveying his decision to quit, had called him up after the press conference to hold his decision for couple of days.
The Alemao family was literally wiped out by the South Goa electorate in the Assembly election held in 2012.
Former minister Churchill (Navelim), his minister brother Joaquim (Cuncolim), daughter Valanka (Benaulim) - all Congress - and Joaquim’s son Yuri (Sanguem) as the NCP candidate, were all defeated.
Incidentally, Lourenco entered active politics through Churchill’s then Goan People’s Front in 2007 election, from Curtorim.
While serving the second consecutive term from Curtorim, Lourenco has been chosen as the party candidate from South Goa, denying ticket to sitting MP Sardinha, whom the former had defeated in 2007 Assembly poll.
With Lourenco Congress stands a better chance of winning the South Goa Seat. Churchill should realise that his political career is over and should now concentrate on working in the interest of the Party. By doing so Valanka's chances of being an MLA/MP in future will be brighter otherwise the entire family's political career will be doomed.
Churchill Alemao....a known smuggler, looter ,embezzler and now blackmailer can demand all he wants.
This man has low moral principles. Hence he along with his daughter & brother & nephew, were sent to the rubbish or scrap heap during the last elections.
However he must realise it is the Voters that will finally decide who will best represent them.
This political manoeuvring & blackmail by Goa`s dirtiest Politician & ace criminal Churchill Alemao ,is none other than to reap financial benefits by being bought out from other Parties .
The UGDP follows a close second in contesting elections knowing they well never ever win....but do so to make some money from being bought out from contesting by other Parties.
Ah Well !!, the election Bazaar is now open to all Parties.
The haggling has begun . The election Games have begun.
Come what may...the biggest loser will be Churchill Alemao & his beloved Bai Valanka . He has lost respect of the Goan Public. They are fed up of him and his family.
The Streets of Goa are awash with disgust at this Varca family.
The only people that favour an Alemao, are those..., mostly goons & thugs & gamblers & those less bestowed with intelligence or an education...and who are well fed & watered ( by alcohol) by the Alemaos.