MARGAO
Around a kilometre separates the iconic Dando grounds from the Maria Hall junction, two prominent landmarks in Benaulim village. On Tuesday evening, both places came alive for the same event but for distinctly different reasons.
As the Congress’ Goy Rakhonn Yatra entered Salcete taluka through Benaulim, the constituency represented by Aam Aadmi Party MLA Venzy Viegas, two groups gathered at separate points to welcome and participate in the rally.
At the Dando grounds, the Benaulim Block Congress Committee, led by its president Keith Gracias, former MLA Caitu Silva and Benaulim ZP member Luiza Rodrigues, along with several party leaders from Benaulim and elsewhere in Salcete, assembled to welcome the yatra.
At the Maria Hall junction, meanwhile, the scene was markedly different. The junction was packed with supporters and workers of youth leader Warren Alemao, who appeared to use the occasion to showcase his political strength.
Dressed in T-shirts bearing photographs of Alemao and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, along with the message ‘Warren for Benaulim’, Alemao and a large number of his supporters waited at the junction to welcome the Congress yatra.
Among the prominent faces seen alongside Alemao were Benaulim Sarpanch Xavier Pereira, Varca Sarpanch Flavia Barretto and Carmona Sarpanch Sandra Fernandes, besides several panch members.
The significance of Alemao’s mobilisation was not lost on political observers. He has still not been formally inducted into the Congress, and his decision to mobilise a sizeable contingent of supporters for the party’s rally became a talking point in the constituency.
When the yatra, led by GPCC president Girish Chodankar, MLA Altone D’Costa, Congress working presidents M K Sheikh and Sunil Kawthankar and other Congress leaders, finally reached the Maria Hall junction on its way to Varca, Alemao welcomed the leaders with flower garlands.
He and his supporters subsequently joined the Congress’ Goy Rakhonn Yatra as it proceeded towards Varca, giving the rally a significant boost in numbers. Warren later addressed the yatra from the Congress platform at Varca.
The development, however, has raised a host of questions for the Congress leadership. One, will the party now open its doors to Alemao after keeping him waiting for nearly a year, particularly after he demonstrated his strength by mobilising a large crowd for the Goy Rakhonn Yatra?
More importantly, with Alemao already preparing the ground for a possible contest in the 2027 Assembly elections, will the Congress consider his candidature for Benaulim if he is inducted into the party? These questions assume significance against the backdrop of the Benaulim Block Congress Committee’s continued push for the candidature of Benaulim ZP member Luiza Rodrigues.
Warren told the media that he is more than willing to join the Congress and ensure that the Congress flag flies high in Benaulim in 2027. He said he and his supporters assembled at the Maria Hall since the Benaulim block did not invite him there. “When I spoke to the Congress leadership, they gave me the green signal to bring my supporters and later merge in the yatra. We have to leave behind our differences since the time has come to save Goa and Benaulim,” he told the media.
He added: “I will contest the 2027 election. I am ready to show my strength to the Congress. Election means numbers. The Congress will see my strength if they keep their eyes wide open,” he said, while expressing hope the Congress will take the right decision.
