MARGAO
With the Congress repeatedly cold shouldering his offer to contest on the party banner in 2017, former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao has finally decided to take a call on his political future if the Congress leadership does not tell
him its decision within a month’s time.
“I will chart out my future political course after a month after taking the views and opinions of the people of Benaulim. I have not set any time frame for the Congress to take a call on my offer to contest on the party banner. But at the same time, I just cannot wait forever since the Assembly election is fast approaching,” Churchill said.
Asked whether he now feels that the chances of his re-entry into the Congress fold and contesting on the party banner are becoming remote in the wake of the latest statement made by AICC general secretary Digvijai Singh that persons charge sheeted will not get the party ticket, Churchill shot back, “If the Congress does not want to give me the ticket, I have no problem. I had offered to return back to the party fold and contest the election on the Congress banner to ensure that all secular people and parties unite.”
He, however, reminded that his Assembly ticket is in the hands of the people of Benaulim and not any political party. “I had announced from day one that I will contest as an Independent in the event the Congress does not consider my offer. After one month, I will consult my supporters and well wishers from Benaulim before charting out my future course of action,” he said.
When his attention was drawn to the statement made by Digvijai Singh, the second time in two months, that chargesheeted persons will not get the Congress ticket, Churchill replied, “Am I the lone person who has been chargesheeted in a case? Moreover, I have been granted bail by the court. Are there no other leaders who have been chargesheeted in the court of law?”
Sources in the know said the former PWD Minister has already conveyed his decision to the Congress leadership in Delhi as well as the local leadership to take a decision on his offer to return to the party fold and contest the coming election by September-end.
Time has indeed been running out for the former PWD Minister as the Congress had been virtually dilly dallying on his offer to return to the party fold since the last one year. Churchillbab’s decision to set a time frame of one month for the Congress to take a call comes against the backdrop of the fact that his political opponents back home in Benaulim are all gearing up for the coming Assembly poll.
Churchill had started his comeback movement in Benaulim over a year ago, covering lost ground in his former constituency after the defeat of daughter Valanka in the 2012 Assembly election.
Though he has taken a public stand that he would contest as an independent in the event the Congress does not consider giving him for the party ticket, sources
said that whether Churchill would stick to his oft-repeated stand or would tie-up with other regional players ahead of the coming election remains to be seen.
