Reginaldo: A birthday treat!
MARGAO
Exactly two years ago on 5 October 2019, the presence of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and his entire Cabinet members at the 50th birthday celebrations of Congress MLA Reginaldo Lourenco had set tongues wagging in Curtorim and outside on his future political plan.
Waste Management Minister Michael Lobo had even created a flutter by projecting Reginaldo as part of the ruling side and his probable rise to occupy the post of Deputy Chief Minister in the future. Indeed, many an eyebrow was raised at the birthday bash with questions being raised why the BJP has been warming up to the three-time Congress MLA.
Two years down the lane, Curtorkars are somewhat facing a similar situation, having been left to wonder on the future plan of their MLA whom they had elected as many as three times since 2007.
Unlike 2019, Reginaldo hasn’t planned a birthday bash on Tuesday. And, there’s no celebration on account of the Coronavirus pandemic which still persists, but the focus of attention is indeed on the Curtorim MLAs as strong reports have been doing the rounds in political circles that he is bracing up to quit the Congress to embrace the Aam Aadmi Party.
Ahead of his birthday on Tuesday, the Curtorim MLA is reported to have moved around the constituency, right from Curtorim, Raia and Rachol, interacting with his close workers and well-wishers, who had stood by him in his political journey spanning a decade and half.
While the MLA has been tightlipped on his future plan amidst rumours that he may embrace the AAP, his close aides say his birthday may turn out an occasion for him to consult his workers and supporters on Tuesday before taking a final call. “Reginaldo is not going out anywhere on his birthday, but he will stay at home to play host to his workers and well wishers from Curtorim constituency and outside who will come to extend birthday wishes to him”, remarked a close aide.
In fact, Reginaldo has been on the ground, seeking opinions and feedback from his supporters in the villages of Curtorim, Raia, Rachol and Camurlim, only fueling speculations that the MLA is planning to quit the Congress.
Sources said he was holed up in a Margao hotel on Monday noon.
Unlike the Trinamool Congress, which is seeking to make a big entry into Goa in 2022, political observers say that the Aam Admi Party has created a base for the party since it first contested the Assembly five years ago in 2017. In a constituency, considered a Congress stronghold over the years, AAP candidate Edwin Vaz had ended his campaign in Curtorim with an impressive 2711 votes in 2017, even leaving local political observers surprised.
In the Zilla panchayat polls held last year, the Aam Aadmi party again came second, though the Congress candidate was way ahead of the rivals in the fray.
Sources said AAP has carved a niche for itself in Curtorim and this factor may weigh in the mind of the Congress MLA if he takes a call to sever his ties with the party.
MARGAO: South Goa MP Francisco Sardinha has said he has no idea whether Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco is leaving the Congress party. He, however, asserted that the party workers and the voters will ensure the Congress returns to power in Goa in 2022.
“I have no idea if Reginaldo has decided to quit the Congress. We hear so many things these days about politicians leaving their parties and joining new ones. Only time will tell who is leaving whom and joining which”, he said.
Declining to go into the question whether Reginaldo’s exit will harm the party, the Congress MP, who hails from Curtorim village, said the people of Goa are fed up with the empty promises made by the BJP government in the last few years. “They have resolved not a single issue till date. What the party gave the people of Goa was only empty promises”, he said, while exuding confidence that the people of Goa will teach BJP a lesson in 2022.
MARGAO: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) Chief Girish Chodankar has said he has no knowledge about reports that the three-time Congress MLA representing Curtorim constituency is leaving the party.
“So many rumours are floating concerning party leaders and workers. As far as Reginaldo is concerned, we have not received any information that he has decided to quit the party”, he said.
The GPCC chief declined to comment on Reginaldo, but sources in the Congress said AICC Goa desk in-charge, Dinesh Gundu Rao and Girish had a meeting with the Curtorim MLA last week, the same day when Luizinho Faleiro quit the party.
The Reginaldo camp said the MLA had put forth a couple of points to the Congress leadership to address, including the leadership issue.
