Team Herald
CUNCOLIM: The father of Yuri Alemao, former MLA ex-minister Joaquim, represented Cuncolim constituency twice. He also lost twice. Now his son Yuri Alemao who changed his address to Kegdicotto, Cuncolim from Varca, became the voter of Cuncolim. But this hasn’t quite changed the views of the locals that it is a son of the soil, and not an address changer who will best serve the interest of Cuncolkars.
Sashank Dessai former Vice Chairperson of Cuncolim Municipal Council said, “We proud revolutionary Cuncolkars will never elect an outsider who has no standing in Cuncolim. Yuri has come to rob our leadership. We will not allow it to happen. Our forefathers have shed their blood for our land how can we allow someone who is not from this great soil to be our leader?”
He added, “We have educated known figures like Dr Jorson Fernandes who has done social work. Why do we need a person from Varca? Let Yuri first contest the panchayat election of Varca and then he can become MLA of Benaulim.”
Manju Dessai, youth entrepreneur from Cuncolim said, “Cuncolim produced great leaders like late Shantaram Naik who represented Goa in both houses of Parliament, Late Dattaram Dessai was the first MLA. We gave judges, IAS officers, police officers, great national and state awardee teachers. Our ancestors have shown leadership qualities during the first war of independence in 1583. We have such a rich history, Yuri does not even come close to matching such greats.”
Manju Dessai asked further, “There are ten candidates are in fray. Why can’t we select the best among the remaining nine excluding Yuri?”
Udesh Gaonkar, local youth leader, opined that bhaylo naka mission made Joaquim bite dust twice and the “No outsider” principle is still burning in Cuncolim. “I am sure Cuncolkars will send back Yuri to Varca. I advise Yuri to search for a buyer for his flat. Why do we need outsiders when we have a diamond like Dr. Jorson?”
Jorson has spearheaded many local agitations as well as pan Goa ones like the agitation against double-tracking and making Goa a coal hub. “Anyone can approach me any time. If someone kicks my door it will always be open any time of the day or night,” said the doctor who has spearheaded the people’s opposition to pollution industries and the absolute mess at the Cuncolim Industrial estate.
Frany Rodriguez, a housewife from Cuncolim said, “I am a proud Cuncolkar. We have many grassroots leaders and social activists like Dr Jorson Fernandes so why do we need a person from Varca to be our representative? Secondly, Cuncolim is not anybody’s private property. We are for ‘mission bhyalo naka’.”
Yuri Alemao and his supporters are facing an uphill task to erase the tag of bhaylo naka (no outsider). On social media, netizens are posting hundreds of posts and videos stating “we don't need outsiders”.
For Yuri, this is DeJa’Vu. His father lost the 2012 Assembly elections when the same bhaylo naka campaign did the rounds. In the elections of 2017, Joaquim lost again on the same issue of no outsider. He has reasons to worry since Cuncolkars seem to have received the right prescription from the good Doctor Jorson. It’s a medicine called “bhaylo naka”.