MARGAO
Late night weekend diplomacy by senior Congress leaders and the late realization that enacting Velim-style opposition may turn counterproductive seemed to have helped calm the storm brewing in the Cuncolim Congress camp over the party’s decision to welcome bureaucrat-turned-politician Elvis Gomes into the party on Sunday.
Realisation is believed to have also dawned on the father-son duo of Joaquim and Yuri Alemao that any hasty action by their supporters to block Elvis Gomes’ entry into the Congress would only be exploited by their political opponents to rake up the outsider Vs sons of the soil debate in Cuncolim.
Congress district leaders were in a tizzy late last night as reports emanating from Varca and Cuncolim spoke about Alemao’s loyalists planning to descend at the Congress House, Panjim on Sunday in buses to counter Elvis Gomes’ entry into the party.
The weekend diplomacy by Goa Pradesh Congress Chief Girish Chodankar and Margao MLA late Saturday night at the residence of Joaquim and Yuri Alemao seemed to have paid off to help calm down frayed tempers.
Sources informed senior Congress leaders made former Minister Joaquim understand the fact that it would be futile to oppose entry of Elvis Gomes at a time when son Yuri has already established his foothold in Cuncolim. The leaders explained that Yuri is already in charge of the Congress block with Alemaos close aide Assiz Norohna heading the block committee.
That’s not all. The Alemaos were made to realize that they may concede the advantage they enjoy in Cuncolim in their quest for the party ticket for Yuri, having won the Cuncolim Municipal elections for the Congress party. “We made Joaquim and Yuri understand that the latter has already proved a point or two in respect of his leadership by winning the Municipal election. We also emphasized that the Alemaos need not worry since the Cuncolim block is being controlled by them”, sources added.
Unlike Joaquim, sources said young Yuri appeared receptive and was convinced over the futility of creating any situation to protest over former AAP convenor’s entry into the Congress.
Party leaders were also wary of the fact that any attempt to oppose entry of Elvis may send a negative signal to the Party High Command in view of the fact that the State party leaders had opened the doors for the bureaucrat-turned-politician only after he had discussions with top Congress leaders in the national capital.
In the 2017 Assembly election, both Joaquim Alemao, contesting as an Independent and Elvis Gomes, who was then AAP’s Chief Ministerial candidate, were in the fray for the Cuncolim seat. The duo lost the election, with Joaquim losing the seat by a whisker to Congress candidate Clafacio Dias, by around 30 votes. Elvis, on the other hand, finished fourth in the race, but he heralded his entry into politics after his long stint as a senior government officer.
