the goan I network
MARGAO
After initial hesitation, Nationalist Congress Party’s lone Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao has finally given his thumbs up to the party leadership on the question of fielding candidates for the March 22 Zilla Panchayat polls.
The turnaround came on Saturday after NCP Goa unit President Jose Philip D’Souza descended on the Varca residence of the Benaulim MLA to discuss the issue after Churchill had second thoughts on the party testing the Zilla Panchayat waters for a host of reasons.
While the NCP Chief and the party lone MLA are expected to unveil the party’s decision on the coming polls, sources said the party may contest only in a few seats in both the North and South Goa Zilla Panchayat constituencies.
Sources said what brought about a change in Churchill to give his go-ahead signal to the NCP president was the unilateral decisions taken by the Congress on issues, including the forthcoming ZP polls. Sources said the NCP leadership was piqued over the Congress’ attitude in not taking like-minded parties to unitedly take on the ruling government. Sources pointed out that while Congress party had refused the party offer for an alliance in the 2017 Assembly election, the main opposition has continued its stand of not having any truck with the party in the state.
“If the Congress feels that the party can go alone and win elections after elections in Goa, it is their choice. Congress leaders had spurned the NCP offer for an alliance in the 2017 election and now the party does not want to have any truck with like-minded parties. The NCP is also a political party and has every right to contest every election”, the NCP leader said.
When The Goan contacted Jose Philip D’Souza and Churchill Alemao to ascertain the outcome of their meeting on Saturday noon, the duo said the party’s decision on the coming Zilla Panchayat polls will be unveiled on Sunday.
“The NCP had decided to contest the coming ZP polls on the party banner, but Churchill had some reservation on contesting the election on party lines. After my meeting with Churchill, the Benaulim MLA has now agreed that the party should go all out in the coming ZP polls, Jose Philip told The Goan.
