Caught in his own web
The strongman who swore by Konknni, Xitt Koddi and Goemkarponn may find himself in an embarrassing situation with the expose that his wife and four daughters are Portuguese citizens. Churchillbab, who adopted a moral high ground over the presence of MLAs Caitu and Glen in the august Assembly, may find the going tough over the Portuguese citizenship of his spouse and children. No doubt, he has tried to downplay the issue on the plea that neither his wife nor children have contested any election or violated any law. As expected, the Caitu camp is after the Alemaos after they made life of the Benaulim MLA difficult post-2012. His detractors now accuse the Varca strongman for going to town over the presence of Portuguese MLAs in the Legislative Assembly, without realising that his own family members are Portuguese citizens. Churchillbab will also have to do a lot of answering on the decision of his family members to go for Portuguese citizenship. Questions are doing the rounds in Xaxtidom whether the strongman’s family had planned to migrate to Europe armed with Portuguese citizenship lock, stock and barrel. Churchillbab firmly denies any such plan. He says that wife Fatima had registered her birth in Portugal for the benefit of their children. And he asserts that neither he nor son Savio or ladli Valanka have registered their births in Portugal. But his detractors aren’t going to let him go scot-free. His opponents are not unduly bothered whether they will succeed in putting the Alemaos in the dock legally. But they appeared certain that they have now enough armament in their arsenal to turn the tables against the strongman in the event of a by-poll for Benaulim. A no-holds barred battle has already begun in this coastal constituency.
Citizenship tangle
You will be sadly mistaken if you think that the ongoing battle over the Portuguese citizenship is restricted to Caitu and the Alemao family. This became evident when Caitu’s PA Elvisbab went to file a bunch of complaints against the Alemao family with the Colva police, when an odd copy of a Portuguese registration unconnected to the Alemaos found a place inside. A perusal of the copy revealed that a former Congress heavyweight minister from Xaxtidom, born in the mid-50s, too has registered his birth in Portugal. Elvisbab maintained that the copy of the Congress heavyweight accidentally got into the bunch, reiterating there was no intention to take him to task. One thing, however, is clear that the Caitu camp appears to have had its hand on the Portuguese birth registration of many a Congress politician. In the meantime, detractors of Fatorda’s flamboyant MLA Vijaibab have gone to town saying the Independent MLA was born in Argentina. An unfazed Vijaibab appears bracing up for a battle if his political rivals rake up his citizenship issue. He has even dared the saffron brigade to depute his arch rival from Fatorda to Argentina to lay their hands on his birth certificate. In turn, Vijaibab has claimed that even the saffron dispensation is not spared by the Portuguese citizenship bug. He says a prominent BJP functionary had his birth registered in Portugal. Meanwhile, the Varca strongman has claimed that wife of a minister from South Goa has got her birth registered in Portugal. The minister, surprisingly, does not deny the allegation, but claims that he is still an Indian citizen. There seems no end to claims and counter claims on the citizenship tangle.
Weighing his option
Flamboyant Goa Vikas Party supremo Mickkybab appears to be angry with the saffron dispensation. He has even threatened to reconsider GVP’s support to the Parrikar regime if Sri Ram Sene sets its foot on Goan soil. Even Sene chief Pramod Muthalik would try to ascertain why Mickkybab is so upset with his plans to set shop in Goa even going to the extent of issuing a warning to withdraw support to the saffron government. But detractors of the GVP supremo say that Mickkybab is not so much concerned about Sene’s entry into Goa than the cold shoulder he received from Manoharbhai over his proposal to hold the EDM festival. He is piqued that the government asked him to deposit a sum of Rs one crore and also manage NOCs from various agencies to obtain nod for the festival. He is indeed angry that the government did not come to his financial rescue when he needed support the most. So what are the options left before the GVP supremo? Well, he has dropped hints that he is ready to snap ties with the saffron dispensation if Sene enters the state. Whether beleaguered Caitubab will join him in his political mission remains unknown. In the meanwhile, Mickkybab’s birthday is fast approaching and the flamboyant Nuvem MLA has no plans to throw a bash at the Betalbatim grounds. Sources said the MLA is planning a low-key celebration at his residence with his supporters and constituents. You know why. Mickkybab says he cannot afford to celebrate his birthday when people of Goa are unhappy over the state of affairs. Will Mickkybab finally pull the trigger?
Against the tide
Former Cuncolim MLA Joaquimbab is disturbed that some senior party leaders are trying to fish in troubled waters in Cuncolim over his return to the constituency. While a section of Congressmen have not stopped targeting his handpicked Cuncolim Block Congress president Assizbab, he now has to grapple with attempts by party leaders to rope in a candidate, who had unsuccessfully contested against him, into the Congress fold. Joaquimbab has also realised that supporters of this candidate have lent their support behind the campaign opposing his return to Cuncolim. A visibly agitated Joaquimbab is believed to have initially suspected Diggu’s hand for trying to bring the unsuccessful candidate into the Congress. But Joaquimbab has realised after his meeting with the AICC secretary that Diggu had no hand in checkmating him in the constituency. He now suspects two Congressmen from Xaxtidom, who call the shots in Delhi behind attempts to get the unsuccessful candidate into the Congress. In the meantime, Assizbab’s detractors in Cuncolim are leaving no stone unturned to oppose his appointment as Block Congress president. Sources say a banner put up congratulating Assizbab was left defaced with cow dung earlier this week. Assizbab, however, says that nothing will stop him from strengthening the Congress in Cuncolim and prepare ground for Joaquim’s ultimate return to the constituency. This isn’t going to be music to the ears of aspiring Congress candidates for the Cuncolim seat.
