MARGAO
Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao’s virtual deadline served on the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leadership to decide the alliance issue with the Congress makes reading interesting.
For, it a sheer coincidence that the 10-day deadline has come less than 24 hours after the NCP MLA along with daughter Valanka reportedly called on poll strategist Prashant Kishor at Luchel Caminho de Monte, the Borda residence of Congress-turned-Trinamool Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro on Monday evening.
What transpired at the meeting remains unknown, but Churchill’s deadline for the NCP leadership to take an early call on the NCP-Congress leadership came less than 24 hours after the meeting with Prashant Kishor has left tongues wagging and raised speculations over Churchill’s future in the NCP.
Churchill’s deadline on the NCP leaders to decide on the alliance with the Congress within 10 days comes close on the heels of the Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai reportedly having a meeting with Prashant Kishor.
Churchill did not deny meeting Prashant Kishor, but hastened to add that he has not taken any decision to quit the NCP or join any other party. “For Churchill, the people have been his ticket. Let me clarify, I have not asked the NCP leadership to decide on the alliance with the Congress within 10 days just because I had called on Prashant Kishor. We had a bitter experience in 2017 when the Congress had kept the NCP waiting till the last and then spurned the offer of alliance”, Churchill said.
He added: “Finally, I will have to decide my future if the NCP cannot get the Congress for a tie-up to jointly fight the 2022 Assembly election. The earlier the better for me and the NCP as an early decision on alliance will benefit everyone”.
Sources in the know said the Benaulim MLA will not compromise on the question of daughter Valanka contesting the election from his erstwhile Navelim constituency. Churchill is believed to have told his aides that he and daughter will prefer to contest as Independents in the event the political parties are not keen in nominating them on the party banner.
In fact, both Churchill and Valanka have kick-started their election campaign in Benaulim and Navelim respectively, with Valanka holding public meetings in Navelim constituency.
