PANAJI
More than 48 hours after the announcement via a social media post triggered a media storm the 'sell off' deal of Goa's iconic Club Tito's and its details remain fuzzy.
On Monday, Ricardo Joseph D'Souza, one of the partners owning Tito's had announced in a Facebook post the sell-off of Club Tito's and all other allied businesses, which shocked patrons and triggered widespread media coverage in Goa, nationally and even abroad.
D'Souza had cited harassment by "the police, PDA (Planning and Development Authority), CRZ (Coastal Regulation Zone), NGOs, panchayats and sarpanchas, Block Development Officers (BDO), and Deputy Collectors" as a major reason for the decision to sell.
D'Souza's post had gone viral on Monday. Interestingly, over the last few years, he had made public his political ambitions and had cosied up to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party hinting at his readiness to even contest elections.
Meanwhile, amidst the 'Tito's sell off' storm, the second partner and D'Souza's younger brother David D'Souza has maintained a stoic silence on the developments.
Also, Ports Minister Michael Lobo who represents Calangute where the iconic Club is located and who some years ago is said to have partnered the D'Souza's in a venture, denied that the sale has happened.
"He has received an advance payment but no sale deed has happened," Lobo had told reporters on Tuesday.
Interestingly, on Tuesday, the promoter of another top nightlife venue Club LPK Nandan Kudchadkar, also in a Facebook post announced: "De Future is bright, Gr88 things on the Horison for LPK, including Iconic acquisition" triggering speculation that he could be the buyer from the D'Souzas.
Kudchadkar and both the D'Souza brothers have been close friends and associates for decades.
