Former Chief Minister Churchill Alemao on Sunday batted for the Indian National Congress, even as he publicly acknowledged that he and daughter Valanka made a big mistake by contesting the 2022 Assembly election on the Trinamool Congress Party.
Churchill, however, said that Valanka will contest the upcoming election from Navelim irrespective whether she is nominated by the Congress or not.
He told the media on Sunday that the Indian National Congress is a big ocean and the new proposed Goa Congress party will only split the votes. “I do not know why some persons are planning to float the new party. One thing, however, is certain that the Congress will never be finished. I had formed the UGDP and the Save Goa Front, but the Congress is an ocean and will never be finished”, he said.
Saying he made a big mistake by joining the TMC in the 2022 election, Churchill said some devils tempted him to join the TMC though he had not inclined to contest the Bengal-based party. “I made another big mistake by requesting Valanka to contest on the TMC”, he said.
Churchill conceded that he called on Congress leadership during his recent visit to Delhi, saying he did pay courtesy visits on certain Congress leaders.
Asked for his reaction on the proposed Goa Congress party, Churchill initially declined to comment, but later said he would support the Indian National Congress. “A new party does not augur well for the Congress party since it will split the votes”, he added.
Declining to comment on the induction of Pratima Coutinho in the Congress, Churchill said Valanka would contest the 2027 election from Navelim. “She would contest the election on the Congress ticket if the party nominates her. If not, she would contest the election from Navelim”, he said.
To another question, Churchill said he would in all probability contest the upcoming Assembly election from his home constituency Benaulim.
