MARGAO
Former PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao, who cast his vote at the polling station where daughter Sharon is in the fray, asserted that he did not field any panel in the panchayat polls, reminding that he had lost the Assembly polls despite the fact that all the seven village panchayats, barring one, in Benaulim constituency had supported him.
He further said that daughter Sharon is in the fray on her own accord, maintaining that he did not hit the campaign in support of her candidature.
Saying that election result has turned unpredictable, Churchill said he had all the sarpanchas from Benaulim constituency, barring one, with him in the 2022 Assembly election, but lost the seat. “When I contested the 2022 Assembly, all the seven panchayats, barring one, had supported me. But, I lost the election. I have not fielded any panel for the panchayat polls,” he said.
On daughter Sharon’s decision to contest the panchayat polls in a bid to enter the grassroot panchayats, Churchill shot back, “Sharon has taken an independent decision. I have no role to play in her decision. After I lost the last Assembly election, many people were surprised over the result and they had called up to tell me that they had voted for me. Even my daughters, who were moving on the ground, said the people had all promised support for me. Since Sharon has contested the panchayat polls, I am confident that she would win the election,” he said.
