the goan I network
MARGAO
Rebellion hit the Congress camp on Thursday after former Urban Development Minister Joaquim Alemao severed all ties with the party a day after his claim for the Cuncolim ticket found no favour with the party leadership.
Amidst cheers from his supporters and workers, Joaquim told his supporters that he would take a call within the next 48 hours whether to contest the ensuing election as an Independent or on a party banner. He also charged the party leadership for giving the Cuncolim ticket for a consideration by bypassing him and another ticket contender Adv John Monteiro.
Blaming State Congress president Luizinho Faleiro behind the decision to deny him the ticket, Joaquim said he would campaign against Luizinho in Navelim constituency. While challenging Luizinho to win from Navelim, he demanded to know why a new face was not fielded by the Congress president in Navelim. “I will go on the platform of any candidate in Navelim with a plea to defeat Luizinho in the election,” he said, while addressing his workers in Cuncolim on Thursday evening.
Joaquim wondered how the Congress leadership has given the ticket to a person against whom cases are pending in the court of law. “I would have had no problem if the ticket was given to Adv John Monteiro since he had polled 5,000 votes in the 2012 election,” he said.
That Joaquim will take a call within 48 hours to decide whether to contest the coming poll as an Independent or on a party banner has sent clear indications that attempts are on to bring all like minded candidates on a common platform.
