PANAJI
The Congress Party candidate Aleixo Sequeira who is contesting from the Nuvem constituency has expressed his confidence in the voters saying, “I feel I have already won,” even as the actual voting day is more than a fortnight away. Meeting people from his constituency in corner meetings that start early in the day and continue till late in the night, Aleixo, while speaking to The Goan, admits, “It’s been difficult to campaign due to the pandemic-related restrictions. When I am not among the people, I try to interact over the phone. But I don’t believe in releasing videos for publicity, as many of the times I have seen them do more harm to the image. But I want to tell these people that they should ascertain the facts before they speak and not misguide the voters. But today, voters too are wise and cannot be fooled easily.”
Introduced to INC youth wing aged 17, Aleixo has been loyal to Congress ever since and rubbishing all rumours about him joining hands with BJP or any other party, he mentions that the party has rewarded him with many positions and he is content with what he has achieved. “Opponents allege that I have amassed wealth as a politician. Some go to the extent to say that I will be knocking on the doors of the cemetery soon. I wish to tell these people to play the game of politics in a fair manner,” says Aleixo who has won one of the past elections unopposed.
Campaigning in his Nuvem constituency, with villages like Loutolim, Verna, Nagoa, Nuvem, Majorda, Utorda, Betalbhatim and Calata, Aleixo recalls winning four elections from his Loutolim constituency. He lost in 2012 when the party asked him to contest from Nuvem. In 2017, he was denied a ticket. Staying away from electoral politics for almost a decade, now Aleixo is contesting again on the party ticket from Nuvem, but this time he is confident that victory will be his. Expressing confidence in his party, Aleixo says, “Congress has always been the voice of the common people. I have risen in the party from Youth Congress to Congress, and was elected to the district committee and Pradesh committee. Keeping the loyalty with the Congress ideology, I fought election for the first time in 1994 and became an MLA. After that I have won four elections from the same constituency. The fifth time, my constituency was changed to Nuvem and two villages (Kamorlim and Seravalim) were removed from Loutolim constituency. There have been ups and downs in politics, but I have remained faithful to the party I belong to.”
Recalling that his father, late Eusebio Antonio de Piedade Sequeira who was pro-India and anti-Portuguese, owned a newspaper, ‘Avoz de India’ meaning Voice of India and it is his father’s genes that have brought him into politics and be the voice of the people. “It is my father’s legacy and ideas that I am carrying forward,” asserts Aleixo, adding, “I want to be the voice of the people. I want to help them live life happily and peacefully.”
Representing the Catholic dominant constituency where 90 % of the voters belong to Christian community, Aleixo boasts of reading the pulse of the people. “When I meet them, I can sense their inclination. I am well aware of their issues and have tried to solve them whenever I was in power. As a power minister, I saw to it that the entire Loutolim constituency got underground cables. The importance of underground cabling was underlined during the recent cyclone when most of the areas across the State remained in darkness for days, but power in Loutolim could be restored in a few hours.”
One has to think in the long term while doling out schemes and subsidies, he feels. As an MLA and a minister, he admits of giving jobs to 1,200 boys and girls from local constituencies, albeit, on merit, in various government departments. “These 1,200 families will vouch that I have not sought a rupee from anyone. These people are the testimony to my good work. And today, if I am confident of my victory, it is because of my work over the years.”
Expressing concern that Goan youth today want to go abroad and see no scope in employment in their home state, Aleixo points out that our education system churns out graduates but the need of the hour is skilled and specialised educated youth. The State is devoid of skilled (local) labour. Going abroad in search of jobs is not the best way to lead a good life, feels Aleixo. “Life abroad is not rosy. Thousands of youths returned home, out of jobs. Those on ships or in Europe came back. It’s our job now to provide them work, back home,” says Aleixo.
Coming from a constituency where 50 % of the land is dedicated to agriculture, Aleixo points to a green future of Goa. Recalling that as a minister, he along with Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco were the first to bring to Goa harvesters to harvest the paddy crop. “We also provided tractors to plough the fields. I arranged seeds and fertilisers too. We encouraged farmers to take to agriculture, grow vegetables and fruits. Back then agriculture was not thought to be profitable. But today, we know that farming can be lucrative, if done systematically,” asserts Aleixo.
Soon after recovering from Covid a fortnight ago, Aleixo began campaigning and currently has no ‘me time’ or a holiday. His appeal to the people of Goa is to think twice before they cast their vote. “Do not get carried away with the so-called freebies. Ponder on the false promises given by parties that want to make an entry in the local politics for ulterior reasons,” concludes the Nuvem contestant.
