MARGAO
Presence of top leaders of the United Goans Democratic Party, including former leaders, at an awareness cum presentation to ‘Save Goa’, triggered speculations whether moves are on to revive the now almost defunct regional party.
There’s, however, no clarity on moves to revive the party ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. For, while UGDP Secretary General Adv Anacleto Viegas has confirmed about moves to revive the regional party, party ideology Adv Radharao Gracias ruled out the question of reviving the party in the future.
Call it a strange coincidence or otherwise, party leaders, including Anacleto Viegas and Radharao Gracias, besides party former MLA Mickky Pacheco, Shravan Dubhashi were seated on the dais. Human Rights activist Cyril Fernandes, who was one of the key UGDP leaders when the party was led by former MLA Churchill Alemao, gave his power point presentation at the programme organised by Goenchi Fudle Pilgi Khatir in association with the United Goans Democratic Party.
When The Goan contacted Anacleto to shed light on the presence of present and former UGDP leaders on the dais at the presentation given by Cyril Fernandes, he was candid in saying that he is exploring the possibility of reviving the UGDP. “There is a need to revive the UGDP to save Goa from destruction. But, it is a coincidence that most of the present and former party leaders were present at the programme. No politics was discussed nor did the leaders discuss moves to revive the UGDP,” Anacleto said. He, however, hastened to add that the regional outfit can be revived if people come together to defeat the forces destroying Goa.
Adv Radharao Gracias, however, was categorical in saying the presence of present and former UGDP leaders have nothing to do with the revival of the regional party. “We all attended the programme wherein Cyril Fernandes gave his presentation. Nothing more was discussed. I do not see the possibility of the revival of the UGDP,” he added.
Activist Cyril Fernandes admitted that the programme was organised by GFPK in association with the UGDP. “It was a programme basically aimed at protecting Goa from further destruction. There was no politics involved. But, we would like politicians and the political parties and the policy makers to incorporate the demands aimed at saving Goa from destruction,” he added.
Mickky Pacheco’s presence indeed raised political eyebrows amongst political observers. The former minister has recently unveiled plans to make a political comeback in the coming 2027 Assembly elections.
Incidentally, Mickky had made his debut in politics from Benaulim on the United Goans Democratic Party when he had defeated Churchill Alemao in the 2002 Assembly elections.
