MARGAO: The UGDP symbol was previously two leaves with the party desperately tries to maintain but has lost since it lost its regional party status and symbol after the 2009 Lok Sabha polls with not a sufficient vote share in the state or Lok Sabha elections.
But since 1999 when Churchill Alemao and Joaquim Alemao contested on the UGDP party ticket, the party is a place where leaders have come maybe disgruntled from the national party like the BJP or Congress or because they wanted the regional party tag.
“That’s the problem with a small party. Politicians come and use us and our party stand of being a regional party wanting to save agriculture and Goa’s greenery. But then in lieu of big portfolios and deals they join national party’s and ditch us. Sometimes I feel we should not contest any election in 2017,” exclaimed Anacleto Viegas, General Secretary of the UGDP.
The UGDP has seen many characters come and go from the Alemaos, and then Mickky Pacheco, Antanasio Monserrate but all ditched to go to the Congress. Like Monserrate went when the Congress government made him education minister in the year 2009, Mickky previously left to become Tourism Minister in the Parrikar cabinet, The Alemaos left went to the Congress and got plum portfolios while Churchill then represented the Congress in the Lok Sabha and then returned to form another regional party.
“ Any regional party from the UGDP, the GVP, Save Goa Front are small time pit stops where these politicians exploit our beliefs but we have to keep our party ideology alive and hence we welcome them to use our party to contest,” stated Anacleto.
Anacleto pointed out the recent crisis where he welcomes Mickky to come to the UGDP and contest on their party ticket in Nuvem but the party’s senior Vice President Radharao Gracias wants to support Vincent as a better candidate in Nuvem and wants Mickky to opt for another constituency.
“Actually to be honest as the former MLA of Nuvem, I have stayed away from elections and people in Nuvem want me and urge me to contest the polls myself from Nuvem. And my new stand will be that Mickky supports my candidature itself. This is what I will put forth to the party,” revealed Advocate Radharao Gracias
But Anacleto believes that deliberation will resolve this deadlock and that Mickky alone will the candidate from UGDP. Mickky himself is keen to contest on the UGDP ticket stating that his existing regional party, the GVP has got a bad name from being an alliance partner of the BJP.
Meanwhile while this interaction over the media continues between the brothers in law, Radharao and Anacleto, the party president Dr Jorson Fernandes stated that he agrees with Advocate Anacleto’s views and that Mickky should be given the party ticket to represent the UGDP.
“ But I want an assurance and the party needs to take a resolution that the MLAs don’t ditch us and leave after being elected and hope that will come out clear this time round,” concluded Dr Jorson.
Dr Jorson recently had slammed the doors on Antasio Monserrate stating that the UGDP has no place for rapist in the party. But it was Monserrate who had ditched UGDP since in February he said he will revive the party and head it but later ditched the UGDP completely.
