PANJIM: In a major setback to former PWD Minister Churchill Alemao’s plans to rejoin the Congress, the party’s Legislative wing resolved to recommend to the High Command that he be barred from entering the party.
The Congress Legislative Party (CLP) that met on Wednesday under the leadership of Pratapsing Rane also expressed its view against granting party ticket to former home minister Ravi Naik and former MP Francisco Sardinha for the 2017 Assembly election.
CLP was of the strong opinion that Congress should not entertain party rebels, whose anti-party works saw the party lose the 2014 Parliamentary polls to BJP. MLAs Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco and Pandurang Madkaikar were of the opinion that party should now look for new and young faces.
Rane assured his colleagues that the matter would be raised before the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC).
Alemao, after being turned down by the Congress in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, had joined Trinamool Congress and contested on the party ticket. Alemao, who is known for switching his political loyalty, has recently made advances towards the Congress.
On the other hand, Sardinha who had also not got the party ticket in the same election had not rebelled, but his son Shalom had entered the fray against Congress candidate Lourenco.
Sardinha, the then sitting MP was upset with party over the denial of ticket. His anti-party move had forced then Congress president John Fernandes to initiate disciplinary inquiry against him and had recommended that the party high command expel Sardinha.
In the case of Naik, who lost North Goa seat to BJP, Congress workers had alleged that he had failed to run a proper campaign and had indirectly supported BJP. A disciplinary inquiry against him had also been initiated.
