GPCC chief Luizinho Faleiro and former PWD minister Churchill Alemao wish each other as Congress general secretary Pratima and husband Savio Coutinho look on at their daughter’s first Holy Communion function.
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MARGAO
Have Salcete’s long-time political rivals and Kumpars “ Goa Pradesh Congress Committee president Luizinho Faleiro and former PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao “ finally buried their hatchet to make a new beginning in the New Year?
That there’s finally a thaw in the relations between the two arch rivals became evident on Sunday when the duo wished each other after Faleiro raised the toast at a party hosted by Congress general secretary Pratima Coutinho and husband Savio on the occasion of their daughter Sasha’s first Holy Communion.
The duo was the cynosure of all guests at the party as they were invited on the dais. Faleiro raised the toast in honour of Coutinho’s daughter before he and Churchill greeted each other.
When The Goan called up the former PWD minister, Churchill Alemao to shed light on his relationship with his once bitter political rival, Churchill made no bones of the fact that he and Faleiro had indeed been on talking terms in recent times. He, however, declined to comment when asked whether Faleiro has promised him re-entry into the Congress ahead of the 2017 election.
Faleiro, on the other hand, was guarded in his reaction when asked whether he and Churchill had come together after long years of political rivalry. “Have I at any time spoken anything against Churchill or anyone else in the Congress after I had left the State to take up party work?, he asked.
Incidentally, Churchill had made it clear that he would contest the 2017 Assembly election from Benaulim either on the Congress ticket or as an Independent. “I am ready to contest the coming polls on the Congress banner if the party gives me the ticket. If not, I will contest from Benaulim as an Independent”, Churchill said.
The former PWD minister had so far not publicly announced that he would support Faleiro’s candidature in Navelim if the GPCC president decides to throw his hat in the electoral ring in 2017. However, at a meeting of his close aides from Navelim early last year, Churchill had made known to them that he would contest the coming polls from Benaulim and suggested that his supporters should rally behind Faleiro in Navelim.
The former PWD Minister had stopped Faleiro’s 25-year long innings in Navelim in 2007 when he defeated him on the Save Goa Front (SGF) banner. However, it is an open secret that Faleiro’s supporters rallied behind his close family friend Avertano Furtado against Churchill in the 2012 Assembly election to emerge as a giant killer.
