TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Asserting that the Congress is being controlled by a coterie of 10 people including AICC general secretary Luizinho Faleiro and an Independent MLA, Trinamool Congress leader Churchill Alemao on Tuesday demanded to know whether the GPCC president John Fernandes will demand action against the Prime Minister following his half brother’s decision to embrace the BJP.
He also demanded to know why the GPCC chief has not initiated action against Congress spokesperson Pratima Coutinho after her husband Savio Coutinho shared the BJP dais in Margao and Navelim. “The GPCC chief has been threatening action against all and sundry. He has been responsible for the exit of people from the party. Will he now demand action against the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh as his half brother has joined the BJP?” Churchill asked at a media briefing, while reiterating his stand that members of a single political party are free to follow any political party of his or her choice.
He asserted that the Congress leaders in Goa have destroyed the party in the State and blamed a coterie of 10 persons, including Luizinho Faleiro and an Independent MLA for the party’s state of affairs. “The people in general have no say in the running of the Congress. Only these 10 persons control the party”, he said.
The TMC leader singled out the GPCC chief in his tirade against the Congress, termed John Fernandes as a retired “dead wood”, with no support amongst the people. “I want to know why the Congress did not initiate action against Pratima after her husband Savio Coutinho contested the 2012 assembly poll on the TMC banner from Margao when she was a Youth Congress president. Even now, action is not forthcoming against Pratima after her husband shared the BJP dais in Navelim and Margao. Why is John silent when it comes to initiating action against Pratima?” Churchill wondered, recalling that the GPCC president had targeted Valanka in the run up to the Lok Sabha polls.
He said the Congress will come to know on May 16 when the results of the April 12 Lok Sabha election will be out. “They say that I will not cross 15,000 votes. Let us wait and see whether I get 5000 or 10000 votes”, he added.
