Churchill, Reginaldo – on reproachement
Have the Varca strongman and the Curtorim MLA finally buried their hatchet to start a new inning in the New Year? It’s too early to say anything, but the two former Save Goa Front legislators shared a common platform earlier this week after months of bickering. There was no love lost between Churchillbab and Reginaldbab over the last one year. While Churchillbab had pointed accusing fingers at the Curtorim MLA for trying to sabotage Valanka’s election as the Youth Congress president, Reginaldbab had strongly suspected the former PWD minister’s hand behind the campaign to block his elevation as the GPCC chief. Incidentally, it was Reginaldbab who had walked out of a media briefing by Churchillbab a couple of months ago in protest against the presence of cronies of the Varca strongman. Relations between the duo had soured since then and had only aggravated further during the Youth Congress polls. So, what has brought about a change in heart between the two Congress leaders? Sources said that the duo was seen shaking hands when they accidentally came across each other at Canacona near the site of the building collapse. They were later seen together at the Canacona mamlatdar office before addressing a joint media conference in Margao. Manoharbhai may be the duo’s common enemy, but with Lok Sabha polls round the corner, the rumour mill was active in Xaxtidom whether the Curtorim MLA has patched up with the Varca strongman. Coincidentally, Reginaldbab has already thrown his weight around Churchill’s kumpar Luizinhbab for the Lok Sabha ticket. Any realignments on the cards? Just wait and watch.
Mickky takes on Manohar
It was a week when flamboyant GVP supremo Mickkybab decided to take on Manoharbhai and the saffron government head on. Perhaps for the first time since the saffron regime returned to power in style, Mickkybab called for the resignation of the chief minister on the Canacona building collapse episode. Mickkybab’s tirade against the saffron dispensation is no surprise as he has vowed to dislodge the Manoharbhai government. And, if the Nuvem MLA is to be believed, it’s now just a matter of time before he withdraws support to saffron brigade. Feeling let down and humiliated over his claim to hold an alternate Sunburn festival, Mickky appears out to give heart burns to Manoharbhai. How he intends to pull down the government is a million dollar question. The other worry Mickkybab will have to overcome is his very own Caitubab. It’s not known whether the Benaulim MLA has moved away from the party supremo or not, but certainly, Caitubab has come close to Manoharbhai. And, Caitubab is unlikely to support Mickkybab’s demand for Manoharbhai’s resignation, especially when the saffron dispensation has gone out of its way to help the beleaguered Benaulim MLA over the Portuguese citizenship tangle. It’s indeed time for Mickkybab to find out whether all’s well within the GVP before taking a call to checkmate the saffron brigade.
Avertano, Caitu vying for Churchill’s blood
Manoharbhai’s lieutenants – Avertan and Caitu – seem not content with the FIR registered against the Varca strongman, their common enemy. No doubt, the duo has welcomed the Crime branch action against Churchillbab; but they also want General Manoharbhai to investigate into all other cases against the strongman. The duo has told Manoharbhai that enough is enough and the government should tame the strongman with all its might. Caitu, in particular, is believed to have told Manoharbhai not to show any leniency towards the former PWD minister, but to take him to task. Sources in the know said that Caitubab has been bitter in his complaint that the saffron government was going slow against his bête noire. The Benaulim MLA has neither forgiven nor forgotten the strongman for making his life miserable by raking up his Portuguese citizenship row. Sources said that Xaxti’s lone Minister Avertanbab has not lagged behind, and is believed to have questioned the fate of the inquiry into the water tanks procured by the government during the former PWD Minister’s tenure. Avertanbab is not only demanding that the report be made public, but initiate action against his arch political rival. Manoharbhai may certainly do nothing that would alienate his lieutenants in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls. But, to what extent the he is ready to listen and oblige the two MLAs from Xaxtidom remains to be seen. It’s election time and everyone wants to extract a pound of flesh. Isn’t it?
Everyone expected Manoharbhai to descend on Xaxtidom to drum up support from the minority heartland for NaMo’s Sunday’s Vijay rally. For, even BJP insiders admit there’s no other leader in the saffron brigade who enjoys close rapport with minority leaders in Xaxtidom. Was Manoharbhai too preoccupied in the BJP strongholds to mobilise people for the rally that he had no time to make his presence felt in the minority dominated taluka. Or, is it that the shrewd and calculated Manoharbhai just escaped Xaxtidom as part of the political scheme of things and left the taluka to his party leaders to handle. Whatever may be the reason, Manoharbhai’s absence was certainly felt in Xaxtidom. Questions are raised whether Manoharbhai’s trusted lieutenants from Xaxtidom will also contribute their bit to make Modi’s rally a success. Dr Wilfredbab says the saffron brigade expects nothing less than 12000 delegates from Xaxtidom, including 1500 each from minority dominated constituencies of Velim, Benaulim, Nuvem and Curtorim. And, to drive home a point that the BJP has the support of Xaxti’s minorities, Dr Wilfredbab addressed the media in the presence of Catholic and Muslim elected representatives. Will that help to mobilise the minorities to the BJP rally or not remain to be seen, but sources say the BJP has decided to place around five buses at the disposal of Xaxti’s lone Minister Avertanbab to ferry his supporters for the Sunday rally. Sounds interesting, isn’t it?
