Cuncolim elected Jaoquim Alemao for two tenures and then started a stormy campaign of how the village doesn’t want an imported MLA from Varca but a local Cuncolkar and they elected Rajan Naik by splitting the vote in Chandor and Guirdolim through advocate John Monteiro, now in the Congress.
Joaquim Alemao on Wednesday was the first MLA to declare his panel of 8 councillors with 4 elected from his panel and the rest poached and convinced to declare majority and declare Lavita Mascarenhas as his chairperson and to declare Mario Moraes as the deputy chairperson.
Joaquim asserted that the win clearly indicates that the people have accepted him and want him to make a political comeback, while declaring Lavita Mascarenhas as Cuncolim Municipality Chairperson in the new tenure.
“I first won in Benaulim on a UGDP ticket though 17 ministers campaigned against me. I then won two elections in a row to represent Cuncolim and got funds to make it a classy town. After a loss, I seem back in Cuncolim with this mandate,” exclaimed Joaquim.
Joaquim flayed Congress leaders John Monteiro, Cleophas Dias, Moti Dessai (aide of Luizinho) and former chairperson Devendra Desai for being his opposition despite being from the same party.
“I actually have no Opposition from Rajan, the sitting MLA. But I have the people’s ticket and will contest the 2017 assembly polls from Cuncolim as the last election in my career. Win and that will be my last stint, lose and I quit politics forever,” explains Joaquim.
Joaquim after a prolonged silence, humiliation in the constituency, brother in jail saga, mining scams, seemed upbeat and went on the onslaught after almost 3 and half years to secure the council in his bid to make a comeback.
Until yesterday, Joaquim had just 4 in his panel and he was perturbed by Rajan and John’s statements on TV.
He moved quickly, poached, made peace with Mario and immediately declared the council and hopes that the women named will stay in his panel until the Directorate of Municipalities notification on Monday.
“I had eight with me till 5.30pm. Mario Moraes and one Shashank Desai was part of my panel and I was set to form the council and name my chairperson. But Joaquim used his money and muscle power and snapped both of them, rushed straight to Margao and declared a press statement,” explains Cuncolim MLA Rajan Naik while he downplays the Joaquim threat and asserts that he will surely win 2017 with the work of building two bridges and roads to his credit.
