MARGAO
In an election season, where new players have firmly set their eyes on the Goa Assembly polls due in 2022, three-time Congress MLA Reginaldo Lourenco seems to be the most-sought after MLA with less than six months to go for the polls.
The Congress does not want to lose him at this critical juncture, more so after the exit of Congress veteran, Luizinho Faleiro, while political parties, including the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the new entrant on Goa’s political landscape, Trinamool Congress (TMC), have been reportedly making overtures to the Congress MLA, with the hope of roping him to lead their party’s campaign in the coming polls.
Sources informed that Reginaldo had been interacting with his supporters and workers over the last couple of days to gauge the public sentiments before taking any decision.
As strong rumours did the rounds across Salcete and outside during the weekend that Reginaldo may finally part ways with the Congress to join AAP, the three-time MLA preferred not to offer any comments, only fueling speculations over his future political career.
But, call it a game plan or otherwise, Reginaldo has been charged of deliberately sending conflicting signals to his party leadership as well as the new entrants on his political future.
A local political observer said even the new entrants have not zeroed in on their candidates in Curtorim hoping that the three-time MLA may quit the Congress and join their parties.
Even the BJP, which has a sizeable presence in Curtorim, has till date not shortlisted its candidate in the constituency against the backdrop of reports that Reginaldo may not be averse in contesting the polls as an Independent.
Many say that Reginaldo may not encounter major problem if he seeks re-election on the Congress banner from Curtorim, which had thrice elected him to the Legislative Assembly since 2007. He, however, has issues over the party leadership, often complaining that the party did not treat him with due respect and honour despite sticking to the party in good and bad times.
He was also sore that the party high command did not consider him for the post of Opposition Leader after the 10 MLAs quit the party nor was entrusted with the responsibility of leading the organization when the party lost elections after elections in the last four and half years.
Reginaldo was one of the MLAs, who had a running battle with GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar, publicly demanding a change in leadership. And, together with Luizinho Faleiro and MP Francisco Sardinha, he was vocal in his demand for a leadership change before the 2022 polls.
After Luizinho’s exit, Congress leaders, including Dinesh Gundu Rao and GPCC Chief Girish Chodankar tried to reach out to Reginaldo. In a damage control exercise, they had a meeting with him, hours after the Navelim MLA quit the party.
The Reginaldo camp, however, says the party leadership has assured nothing, including his future role in the Congress.
Sources said the AAP and I-PAC have been in touch with Reginaldo for some time, hoping that he would leave the Congress to join these parties.
Says a political commentator: “The Congress does not want to lose Reginaldo at this critical juncture after Luizinho’s exit as it may have a bearing on the minorities. The new entrants want Reginaldo to join them, given that he has no baggage attached and projecting him as their party face may keep them in good stead in the polls”.
Reginaldo had first made it to the Goa Legislative Assembly in 2007 on the Save Goa Front banner by defeating Congress leader Francisco Sardinha. There’s been no turning back since then.
He was one of the two Congress MLAs from Salcete, besides Digambar Kamat, who managed to retain his seat when the party was virtually wiped out from its traditional stronghold Salcete in 2012. He maintained his winning streak by retaining the seat in the 2017 election.
