Team Herald
MARGAO: Earlier on Saturday hundreds of supporters of former Chief Minister and present Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Luizinho Faleiro gathered at his house urging him to contest the February 4 elections from Navelim constituency which he has represented many times in the past.
The Congress block committee and even the State committee had recommended Faleiro’s name as the party candidate. However, Faleiro had earlier declined on grounds that by virtue of being the GPCC President, he would have to supervise the party campaign all over Goa and would not be able to concentrate on Navelim.
Faleiro, who represented the Navelim constituency, was defeated at the 2007 elections by his friend turned foe Churchill Alemao contesting as the Save Goa Front candidate by a margin of over 4000 votes. At the last Assembly elections in 2012 Alemao, who was the Congress candidate, suffered a defeat at the hands of independent candidate Avertano Furtado who had a lead of over 2000 votes.
Since his defeat in 2007 Faleiro has been a part of the Congress’ central team and was looking after the affairs of the party in the North Eastern States till the time he was asked to take over the reins of the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee.
Hundreds of people from different walks of life and cutting across party affiliation had gathered at his house to urge him to contest the elections so that the Congress could return with flying colours at the elections.
They opined that some other Congressmen who became chief ministers of Goa after Faleiro are trying to scuttle his chances to contest as it would weaken their chances of becoming chief minister if Faleiro emerges victorious.
Besides, they felt that Faleiro was best suited to defeat Furtado, who is a known supporter of the BJP as he was appointed a minister in the cabinet. However, people are not very happy with the development the constituency has seen in the last five years.
