MARGAO
First question: Will the Congress party leave Benaulim for the Nationalist Congress Party, which has announced former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao as its candidate? Second: Who among these aspirants “ Block President Edwin Barretto, Benaulim ZP member Maria Rebello and former Varca Sarpanch Anthony Pinto -- will find favour for the ticket in the event the Congress spurns the NCP offer for an alliance.
As the Congress ticket selection process shifts to Delhi in the first week of the New Year, the ticket aspirants are keeping their fingers crossed over these two crucial questions. Indeed, confusion persists in the Benaulim countryside on whether the Congress will regain its lost ground in the coming election or would leave the seat to the Nationalist Congress Party.
Doubts have also been raised in Congress circles whether the party will field a candidate in Benaulim against the backdrop of the bonhomie between Congress President Luizinho Faleiro and NCP leader Churchill leader. The Luizinho-Churchill relationship has again thrown up a host of questions among local Congressmen. One, whether the Congress party will reject NCP’s offer for an alliance in the event Luizinho decides to throw his hat in the electoral ring in neighbouring Navelim. Many in the coastal constituency wonder whether the Congress party in general can ill afford to antagonize the former PWD Minister if Luizinho decides to make a comeback in Navelim since he stills commands a sizeable following in his former constituency.
Says Benaulim ZP member, Maria Rebello: “It’s true that a host of questions are doing the rounds in Benaulim, but we are confident that the party leadership will not have a tie-up with the NCP”.
Nazario Pinto, Anthony’s brother, echoed similar sentiments. “How can the Congress leaders compromise on Benaulim when party candidates are ready for the electoral battle”, he questioned.
Benaulim block president Edwin Barretto said that Benaulim has been the Congress stronghold and the party should field a candidate in the ensuing election.
Incidentally, the anti-Churchill group in the Benaulim Congress is believed to have warned party leaders not to take any decision that would leave the seat for the NCP. Party leaders have been cautioned against fielding a weak candidate to suit vested interests.
Among the three Congress ticket aspirants, the candidature of Block Congress President Edwin Barretto is believed to have the blessings of the GPCC President. While Anthony Pinto has received the backing of All India Congress Committee Secretary Girish Chodankar, Maria’s candidature is believed to have been endorsed by some of the state Congress leaders opposed to both Churchill and Luizinho in the scheme of things.
When The Goan contacted AICC Secretary Girish Chodankar to shed light on the confusion and doubts prevailing in Benaulim, he said no decision has been taken yet to leave the Benaulim seat for the NCP. “We have no dearth of candidates to contest in Benaulim. Local party leaders are all charged up after the Congress padyatra wend its way through Benaulim. I am confident that a resurgent Congress can regain Benaulim seat again,” Chodankar said.
Some of the Congress leaders, including Chodankar, are of the opinion that if the Congress leaders did not open party doors for Churchill in view of the Louis Berger case, it would be foolish to leave the seat for the very same person contesting on the NCP banner.
The Congress had last
won the Benaulim seat in the 1999 election.
