After the birthday bash held a few days ago that was attended by a host of Congress leaders, AICC general secretary in-charge of Goa, Digvijay Singh, on Wednesday dropped a bomb, virtually shutting the Congress doors for former PWD minister Churchill Alemao.
Churchill, however, has thrown up a question or two for the AICC, demanding to know whether the Congress leadership will adopt the same yardstick for former chief minister, Digambar Kamat, who also an accused in the Louis Berger bribery scandal case. Churchill did not stop there. He sought to know whether he is the only politician against whom a criminal case is pending in the court of law.
Commenting on Digvijay’s statement that he should come out clear of the bribery charges, Churchill shot back, “I am not a convict in the case. The court has granted me bail. Are there no criminal cases against other Congress leaders? I do not want to name these leaders, but the people of Goa are aware who these leaders are.”
And, he demanded to know whether the Congress leadership will employ the same yardstick to former chief minister Digambar Kamat. “Will the Congress leadership adopt the same yardstick for Digambar? He is also facing criminal charges in the Louis Berger case. While the court has granted me bail, Digambar’s bail petition is still pending,” he said.
He replied in the negative when asked whether he considers Digvijay’s announcement as a setback on his comeback bid from Benaulim. “I had said from day one that the people of Benaulim are my ticket. I had never sought my re-entry into the Congress. All that I have been saying is I will contest from Benaulim if given the ticket or as an independent. Since the Congress leadership has asked me to come clear, I will go ahead with my plans and contest as an independent,” Churchill told The Goan.
Digvijay’s statement has virtually ruled out Churchill’s entry into the Congress party as there are only 10 months to go for the Assembly elections, and the curtains are unlikely to come down on the Louis Berger case before the 2017 polls.
The sudden announcement must have certainly rattled the Congress camp as it come two days after Churchill celebrated his 67th birthday, wherein a host of Congress leaders, including GPCC president Luizinho Faleiro, Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco, Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik, former chief minister Ravi Naik, besides former urban development minister Joaquim Alemao had descended at his Varca residence to wish him on the occasion, giving rise to speculation whether the Congress leadership has given the nod for the former PWD minister’s return to the Congress.
Churchill had quit the Congress on the eve of the 2014 Lok Sabha election to contest on the Trinamool Congress Party.
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Churchill's counterpoints
- The Varca strongman pointed out that Digambar Kamat is still facing criminal charges in the Louis Berger case, and sought to know whether the Congress leadership will employ the same yardstick to the Margao MLA
- In view of Digvijay's comments, Churchill says he now plans to contest as an independent
- Development comes barely days after a galaxy of Cong leaders attended Alemao's birthday bash
