TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: The Cuncolim Block Congress Committee has rallied behind former MLA Joaquim Alemao ~ two days after a former Youth Congress president Paresh Dessai hit out at the former minister for recommending the name of his PA for the post of block president.
Addressing the media flanked by members of the block, newly appointed Cuncolim Block Congress president Assiz Noronha termed the allegations levelled by former Youth Congress president Paresh Desai as false and baseless. He said the Cuncolim block has drawn up plans to strengthen the Congress in the constituency from the grassroots under the leadership of the former two-time MLA. “Joaquim has not bulldozed his way by appointing me as the block president. There was a vacancy after the former president resigned on personal grounds. My name was recommended after members of the block approached Joaquim for appointment”, Noronha told the media.
Coming down heavily on Paresh Dessai, Noronha demanded to know his contribution to the party in Cuncolim. “As Youth Congress president he had failed to strengthen the party”, he said, while seeking to know whether he had worked for the party candidate in the last elections.
Referring to allegations raised by Paresh, Noronha reminded that no one can question Joaquim Alemao’s loyalty to the party and refuted allegations that Joaquim has not shown his face in Cuncolim since his defeat in the 2012 polls. “Paresh does not know how many times Joaquim has visited Cuncolim and has helped the people in his own way”, he said.
When questioned as to why Joaquim has failed to adopt any stand on the controversial NIT project, Noronha replied saying that the former MLA has always supported the views of the people. “In the case of the Panzorconne Housing Board issue, Joaquim had stood by the people and got the project scrapped”, he recalled.
On the question of Joaquim’s outside status, Noronha said that people of Cuncolim had elected Joaquim in 2002 and 2007 with a thumping majority despite some elements raising the outsider status. “This is no longer a poll issue after Joaquim’s election as MLA twice from Cuncolim. Non one can forget Joaquim’s contribution towards the development of the constituency”, he said, while attributing Joaquim’s defeat in the 2012 polls to the anti-Congress wave in the state.
