MARGAO
The father-son duo of former Cuncolim MLA Joaquim and Yuri Alemao returned to the Congress fold on Saturday in style, with Yuri expressing his wish to contest the Assembly election from Cuncolim, but made it clear that it is up to the party leadership to take a decision.
Joaquim also said it is for the Congress leadership to take a call whether to nominate Yuri for the Cuncolim seat, saying he and son Yuri will remain with the Congress and work to strengthen the party.
Joaquim and Yuri joined the Congress at the South Goa district office with their supporters and workers in the presence of senior Congress leaders, including GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar, CLP leader Digambar Kamat, Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro, Aleixo Sequeira, District President Joe Dias, Mahila Congress Chief Pratima Coutinho, Cuncolim Block Congress President Assis Noronha and others.
A commercial air pilot by profession, Yuri said he had returned to Goa to make a career in flying after completing his training in Australia. He, however, said that he realized that he needed to remain grounded and work for the people and hence joined his father in serving the people.
Publicly expressing his wish to contest the election from Cuncolim on the Congress banner, Yuri said he will strengthen the party in Sanguem and elsewhere in the state. “I am joining the Congress for the first time. I will protect the culture and interest of the Congress party,” he said, while thanking the Congress leaders for welcoming him and his father into the party.
In his address, Joaquim said he leaves it to the Congress leadership to take a call whether to give the Cuncolim ticket for Yuri or not, saying he and his son will remain with the Congress. He recalled the projects ushered by him in Cuncolim during his tenure, lamenting that the projects are now craving for maintenance.
Welcoming the Joaquim-Yuri duo in the Congress, Navelim MLA Luizinho Faleiro said it was a happy day for the Congress since a family member had returned to the party. “I welcome Joaquim and Yuri and wish them all the best. My only message to them since they are now members of the Congress, they should stay with the Congress and work out differences, if any, as family members,” he added.
Opposition Leader Digambar Kamat lauded the development ushered by Joaquim Alemao in Cuncolim and Sanguem during his stint as Urban Development Minister in his cabinet. “I dare anyone to show whether there’s any development done in Cuncolim and Sanguem after 2012,” Kamat said.
GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar said that though Joaquim Alemao was not associated with the Congress, the former MLA and son Yuri had helped the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha election as well as the 2020 Zilla Panchayat election campaign.
A brass band was in attendance as Joaquim and Yuri along with their supporters descended on the district Congress office to join the party.
