MARGAO
In an interesting development, the father-daughter duo of Churchill and Valanka is believed to have staked claim for two tickets with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leadership in Mumbai on Wednesday.
In fact, both Churchill and Valanka appeared happy and satisfied over the discussions the duo had with the party Supremo Sharad Pawar and NCP national general Praful Patel.
Sources in the know informed that Churchill is believed to have demanded two tickets, for him in Benaulim and for daughter in Navelim. After the meeting, the Alemao camp was bubbling with confidence, asserting that the NCP leadership will field Churchill for Benaulim and Valanka for Navelim in the ensuing polls. “We are confident that the NCP will nominate Churchill in Benaulim and Valanka in Navelim”, sources close to the Alemao family said.
Both Churchill and Valanka have already kicked off their campaign for the Benaulim and Navelim seats respectively in right earnest. While Churchill has announced plans to seek re-election from Benaulim, Valanka has launched her campaign in Navelim by holding corner meetings in the constituency.
When The Goan called up Churchill to find out whether he has asked for ticket for Valanka as well, he reiterated both he and Valanka will contest the ensuing polls.
Incidentally, though Valanka has addressed a couple of meetings in Navelim constituency in the villages of Aquem-Baixo, Davorlim and Rumdamol housing board, over the last few days, the meetings were not held on any party banner In fact, Valanka had maintained during the weekend after a meeting at the Rumdamol Housing Board that she may contest as an independent candidate in the coming polls, though in the same vein she did not rule out the possibility of contesting the election on a party banner.
