TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: With just few months to go for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, a unanimous choice of candidate may elude the Congress for the South Goa Parliamentary constituency in the run up to the polls.
While incumbent MP Francisco Sardinha has expressed his willingness to re-contest the polls and former PWD minister Churchill Alemao publicly saying he would stake his claim for the ticket, a section of Congress leaders have propped up the name of AICC general secretary and Congress Working Committee member Luizinho Faleiro for the ticket.
The latest move, sources say, is being the initiative by a group opposed to the candidature of both Sardinha and Churchill and have suggested Faleiro’s name as party nominee. Sources said the group has conveyed its opinion to the AICC Goa desk In-charge, Digvijay Singh during his two day visit to the State.
Though it is learnt that Curtorim MLA Reginaldo Lourenco is amongst the leaders who is rooting for Faleiro’s candidature, he has declined to comment on the issue.
When asked to comment on the moves by some Congress leaders to nominate him (Faleiro) as party candidate for the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency, Faleiro said some leaders had proposed his name for the job some months ago, but he had told them in clear terms about his pre-occupation with party work in Delhi and in the North East. “I am unaware whether some leaders have conveyed their opinion on my candidature to Digvijai Singh. But, some of the party leaders had approached me in the past to contest from South Goa. Moreover, I would be preoccupied with party work given the huge responsibility bestowed on me by the party leadership in Delhi and the North East,” he said.
Faleiro, however, said that the Congress party follows a well laid down criteria wherein sitting MPs or MLAs are normally given re-nomination, unless there’s some adverse report on his or her candidature.
The latest move by a section of Congress leaders is being keenly watched by the Alemao camp as it has come just days after Valanka made it to the top position of the Youth Congress after brushing aside a strong challenge from Alemao’s detractors. The move also comes on the eve of launching of the anti-Mopa movement by Churchill Alemao from Canacona taluka.
When contacted, Churchill said he would definitely stake claim for the Congress ticket to contest the South Goa seat.
“As a congressman and one who has twice represented South Goa in Parliament, I will stake my claim for the ticket. It is for the party leadership to take a call on my candidature”, he said.
Faleiro said that some leaders had proposed his name for the South Goa Lok Sabha constituency some months ago, but he had told them in clear terms about his pre-occupation with party work in Delhi and in the North East , adding that he was unaware whether some leaders have conveyed their opinion on his candidature to Digvijai Singh
