MARGAO
Denied the ticket five years ago in 2017 on the plea the party is committed to bring young blood in politics, the Congress has nominated heavyweight Aleixo Sequeira for the Nuvem seat.
The four-time MLA was declared as the party candidate for the Nuvem seat, which is likely to witness multi-cornered contest in the February 14 polls.
Sequeira’s challenger for the Nuvem seat, Jose Raju Cabral had already embraced the Trinamool Congress, while the determined bid made by an ‘unknown’ candidate, to wrest the Congress seat from Sequeira came a cropper. Former Nuvem Sarpanch Pausilipo Dourado, was another contender, who had staked claim for the Congress ticket at the eleventh hour, said he respects the decision of the party though the leadership had promised to field new faces in the election. “I will have a meeting with my workers in a day or two to take stock of the situation,” he added.
Another claimant, GPCC general secretary Everson Vales told The Goan he has no regrets over the party decision, saying the party must have taken the decision to nominate Sequeira in the interest of the party.
When The Goan asked him how he feels to get the nomination for the Nuvem seat when the same Congress had denied him the ticket in 2017, Sequeira said he feels good that the party has given him the ticket to contest the coming polls. “I think the party has taken note of my contribution to the party over the years. I feel the leadership has realised my value in the party. Five years ago, the party had denied me the ticket on the excuse they want to field new blood in the election. It’s sad to note the two young candidates, who were fielded in Nuvem and Velim constituencies, jumped into the BJP midway through the term,” he said.
While thanking the people for having opened the eyes of the party leadership that he should be nominated for the Nuvem seat, Sequeira said he would take all the party leaders, workers and well-wishers along to keep the party flag flying high in the coming polls.
The former Power Minister, who has represented the Loutolim seat as many as four times, once unopposed in the 1999 election, was denied the Congress ticket in the 2017 election, prompting Sequeira to take retirement from politics.
