MARGAO
Welcome to Varca, the home village of political heavyweights and former Ministers Churchill and Joaquim Alemao. Sports have been their passion over the years before they embraced politics with a kiss in the 80’s.
A stranger visiting the Navanguly residence of the former PWD Minister would unfailingly come across a photograph of Churchill with Congress President Sonia Gandhi, indicating Alemao family’s association with the Congress party. Outside Churchill’s house, however, the political mood is now somewhat different. Congress flags, banners and other poll material are not anywhere around. Instead, the discussions are centered on the Nationalist Congress Party and the symbol “Clock”.
The scene at Joaquim’s residence at neighbouring Chadwaddo is no different either. Here, supporters of the former Urban Development Minister are anxiously waiting for their leader to take a call on whether he would contest the February 4 election as an independent or under a party banner.
The mood at both Chadwaddo and Navanguly signifies one thing clear that the Alemao family, once a force to reckon within Goa’s political scene, have finally fallen out with the Congress party.
In fact, both Churchill and Joaquim are bracing up to contest the February 4 election on banners other than the Congress after the national party slammed its doors on the two brothers. While the party refused to open its doors for Churchill two months ago, the Congress leadership has shown the door to Joaquim by denying him the Cuncolim ticket. In Goa’s electoral history, the two brothers might have fought many a battle on two separate parties, but 2017 elections will perhaps be the first that no member of the Alemao clan will be contesting the Assembly poll under the Congress banner.
Says Churchill Alemao: “What can I say if the Congress leaders have shut the party doors for me or for my brother. I have no problem if the Congress cold-shouldered my offer to return into the party fold to contest the coming election. My future is in the hands of the people of Benaulim and not with any political party. I joined the Nationalist Congress Party with an eye on the NCP symbol than an alliance with the Congress."
Churchill has the history of quitting the Congress thrice in his political career spanning close to 30 years. The last time he quit the Congress was on the eve of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls and since then the Congress leadership had slammed the doors on him. “The Congress leadership may not have faith in the Alemao family, but people of Goa know the family well," he said.
Younger brother Joaquim echoed similar sentiments. Angry with the party leadership for cold shouldering his claim for the ticket, Joaquim blamed State Congress President Luizinho Faleiro for misguiding the High Command in denying him the ticket. “I have been a loyal soldier of the party since the time I embraced the party at the dead of night when the Pratapsing Rane government was crumbling. I had never let down the party after I was twice nominated for the Cuncolim seat in 2002 and 2007. My work in Cuncolim speaks for my performance," Joaquim asserted.
The Alemao family knows for sure that certain Congress leaders, both in Goa and Delhi, have worked overtime to shut the doors on the two brothers. They, however, say they are neither down nor out, exuding confidence that people will welcome them in the February 4 poll.
