the goan I network
MARGAO
Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao on Wednesday asserted that he would quit the Nationalist Congress party (NCP) if party supremo Sharad Pawar stitches an alliance with the Goa Forward and the Shiv Sena in Goa.
In fact, Churchill made it clear that he would not like to associate with a party like the Goa Forward, saying that Goa Forward party has no future after the formalin in fish row. He demanded that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant immediately depute FDA Officer Iva Fernandes at the Margao wholesale fish market to ensure that fish laced with formalin does not enter the fish market again.
Days after Goa Forward Chief Vijai Sardesai slammed him for supporting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for his personal gains, Churchill lambasted the Fatorda MLA, demanding to know why he was quiet about the BJP when he was supporting former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for two years.
Addressing the media in the presence of Benaulim Sarpanch Eslina Fernandes, Colva Sarpanch Anthony Fernandes, Orlim deputy Sarpanch Kaiser Martins and
panchas from Benaulim constituency, Churchill further demanded to know how come the Goa Forward party has not yet severed ties with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) till date.
On Sardesai’s charge that he is supporting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant for receiving money for football, Churchill said whatever Churchill Brothers has received from the government was under a scheme announced by former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar after declaring football as the state’s game. And, he said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawnat has promised funds for the GFA under a scheme not for his personal benefit but for the 184 clubs in order to give boost to football in the state.
Reminding that Sardesai had been supporting BJP Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for two and half years, Churchill batted for Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, saying the incumbent Chief Minister does not discriminate people on lines of religion, caste and creed. “Dr Pramod Sawant takes all people together. He hails from the Bahujan Samaj And, why should I not support a Chief Minister from the Bahujan Samaj,” he questioned, saying that Sardesai was quiet when Manohar Parrikar too had borrowed loans during the last two years and half.
Claiming that the Goa Forward chief is fooling the people by promising to install Jack Sequeira statue on one hand and form an alliance with the Shiv Sena, Churchill demanded to know why Sardesai preferred to tie up with the BJP and Manohar Parrikar after the 2017 Assembly election if he was secular. “Jack Sequeira is in our hearts and we will install his statue in Benaulim. Sardesai is only fooling the people with promises,” he added.
Saying that he would not remain in the NCP if party Chief Sharad Pawar enters into an alliance with the Goa Forward and Shiv Sena, Churchill said he is only in favour of NCP entering into a tie up with the Congress. “I will quit the NCP if Sharad Pawar forms an alliance with Goa Forward and Shiv Sena. I am supporting Chief Minister Pramod Sawant to get development in Benaulim. Sharad Pawar and my party does not do the development work,” he asserted.
On the western bypass, Churchill reminded that former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had ruled out building the western bypass on stilts and wondered why Sardesai was silent on the bypass during Parrikar’s rule.
