MARGAO:
GVP cannot hope to win the Benaulim seat in the coming election, he said, \"I feel that as an Independent, you can serve the people better and take decision on your own. There are bound to be internal problems in a political party.”
Asked whether he had to contend with hurdles in the GVP since his election in 2012, Caitu said, “so far, there’s nothing like that. But, I will tell the people in the run up to the Assembly election.”
Asked whether he would prefer to contest under any party banner, Caitu said “though a political party had approached me, I have not taken any decision. I will ask my voters before taking any step. Right now, we have not discussed, but I have to contest the election as an independent.”
Replying to a query, he said he had stood with the GVP, but hastened to add that he do not want to work under pressure of anyone.
Asked whether he was sore over GVP not recommending his name for a ministerial berth after Mickky quit the Cabinet, Caitu said he was never for a ministerial berth but was more concerned about the development of Benaulim.
He admitted that there had been no meetings of GVP in recent times, adding that he has also not met GVP supremo Mickky Pacheco of late.
Asked if his decision to contest as an independent is guided by the fact that GVP has no political future, Caitu shot back, “I don’t want to say that the GVP has no future. But, I know for sure that GVP has no future in Benaulim.”
He replied in the negative when asked whether the BJP had decided to support his candidature in Benaulim. The BJP has no major presence in Benaulim constituency, he said.
Asked whether his decision to contest the coming poll as an Independent stems from reports that Mickky has been hobnobbing with arch rival Churchill Alemao in Benaulim, Caitu said “it makes no difference for me whether Churchill and Mickky have come together. People of Benaulim know what I have done for Benaulim in the last four years and the achievements of both Churchill and Mickky in the constituency.”
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I don’t want to say that the GVP has no future. But, I know for sure that GVP has no future in Benaulim
- Caitu Silva, Benaulim MLA
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MICKKY PHOO-PHOOS
CAITU; CONFIDENT
OF RETAINING SEAT
* GVP will field its candidate and the party will retain the seat, says GVP Supremo Mickky Pacheco
* Caitu might have made the statement knowing well that the GVP will not nominate him again, says Mickky
* Caitu should ponder how the candidate supported by him lost the Zilla Panchayat election
>> See pg 7
