MARGAO: Churchill Alemao has accused the Congress of double standard in treating him and former chief minister Digambar Kamat vis-à-vis giving ticket for election.
Briefing the press at Margao on Friday, Churchill said, “I was denied entry into Congress and ticket by the party on the ground that I have been indicted in the Louis Berger bribery case” and asked, “How did the Congress nominate Digambar Kamat (as a candidate for election), as he has been named as the main accused in the indictment?”
“Two years ago I had decided to enter the Congress and had decided to contest the elections from Benaulim. But Digvijay Singh said that I have been accused in Louis Berger case, hence, declined my candidature,” Churchill informed.
Churchill said that granting the post of chief minister to Kamat was the reason for the “sorry” state of Congress in Goa. “The Congress is in a dire state now, and I am completely against Kamat being made the CM,” Churchill said.
He opined that without an alliance with NCP, the Congress would not be able to form a government in Goa.
Churchill informed that during the alliance negotiations with the Congress, the NCP had asked for seven constituencies and central leader Praful Patel was willing to settle for even less number of seats. Since the Congress did not agree for that demand, Churchill said, “Now we are set to contest 30 seats, including Panjim, Saligao and Siolim.”
Churchill also alleged that the Congress wants the BJP to get re-elected, hence, doesn’t want a conglomerate of the likeminded parties.
“They have not aligned with the NCP for this very reason,” Churchill said.
