Churchill may contest on NCP ticket in Benaulim

Margao/Panaji: With his deadline of September 30 issued to the Congress to nominate him from Benaulim constituency having long expired, former PWD minister Churchill Alemao is likely to join Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
State unit president of NCP Jose Philip D’Souza said that Alemao has expressed willingness to join NCP.
Alemao, on the other hand, preferred to be tightlipped on the party he is planning to join.“You will come to know on Monday,” he told STOI.
Sources said that Alemao is opening his election office on October 17 at 5.30pm.
Interestingly, this inauguration is being held on the auspicious occasion of the popular Colva fama.
The former chief minister who chose to keep his cards close to his chest, informed STOI that he would announce his future elections plans after inaugurating his election office situated near the residence of Benaulim panch member Menino de Bandar, who is his staunch supporter.
Sources said it could be part of the strategy to get Alemao elected through the backdoor on mutual grounds. Not surprisingly, NCP expects to tie up with the Congress for 2017 polls. In that situation, Alemao would help president of Goa pradesh Congress committee (GPCC) Luizinho Faleiro in Navelim.
Alemao was defeated in 2012 polls by Avertano Furtado, present minister, who had contested as an independent candidate. Though Faleiro has not made it clear of him throwing his hat in the ring, he seems to be preparing his ground to take the plunge.
Political observers say that if Alemao joins NCP, it would be a win-win situation for him and Faleiro, provided there is an alliance between the two parties.
Sources said that it is not only Alemao but a group of others including zilla panchayat member and its former chairperson Nelly Rodrigues and former UGDP leader Vincent Rodrigues are likely to join the NCP later this month.
Stressing on the need of a ‘mahagatbandan’ for the upcoming state assembly elections, D’Souza said, “No one should take our party lightly. we are confident of winning at least three seats. If Congress thinks they can go it alone without any alliance partners, then they are mistaken.” He said, Goa needs a mega alliance on the lines of Bihar when “the BJP was shown its place”.
Alemao had remarked that he would be an independent candidate but was willing to re-join the Congress party and be the party’s Benaulim candidate.
When reminded that he had unsuccessfully contested the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from the South Goa constituency on the Trinamool Party ticket, the former South Goa MP reiterated that he had stated that he had taken this step as otherwise voters would have regarded his election campaign as being funded by the then Goa BJP chief minister and now defence minister Manohar Parrikar to split the secular votes in favour of the BJP.