MARGAO
Moments after the Congress leadership rejected his offer to return back to the party fold and nominated Moreno Rebello as the party candidate for the Curtorim seat, former three-time Congress MLA Reginaldo Lourenco has decided to contest the ensuing polls from Curtorim as an Independent.
Having being “punished” by the Congress for deserting the party even after his candidature was declared in the first list, Reginaldo went into a huddle with his supporters at his residence before taking the decision to throw his hat in the ring as an Independent.
Congress candidate Moreno Rebello has thanked the party leadership for reposing their faith by nominating him for the Curtorim seat. He said his decision to quit the Congress to join the BJP and return back to the Congress fold will not at all affect him in the elections, saying the people know that he had joined the BJP for a few days because of certain circumstances prevailing then.
Reginaldo Lourenco, on the other hand, pointed out that he had never joined the BJP in his career, saying the Congress has given the ticket to a candidate, who had joined the BJP and returned back to the Congress.
“After I quit the TMC, my supporters wanted me to return to the Congress party and contest on the party banner. But, since the Congress preferred to give the ticket to a candidate, who has come back to the party from the BJP, my supporters have told me to contest the polls as an independent,” he said.
Apologising to the people for his mistakes, Reginaldo said, “I feel it’s God’s plan that I should contest as an independent and I am confident God will take my people somewhere. I have blessings of my God and people with me,” he added.
Saying he has given his best for his people in the last 15 years, the three-time former MLA said he has no corruption charge against him, even as he vowed to take his people and the constituency to greater heights.
Saying that his people are his high command, he said he would go strictly by the dictates of his people while taking political decisions. He wished the Congress all the very best, when the media sought to know whether the party has punished him by denying him the Congress ticket.
Some of his supporters, including former Curtorim sarpanch and panch Rupesh Naik said the people of Curtorim have Reginaldo to contest as an independent.
