HERALD:You were closely associated with Michael Lobo to oust Agnelo Fernandes in the 2012 Assembly polls, but your alliance with Lobo fell apart in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. What went wrong?
SEQUEIRA: For the last Assembly elections, we had an understanding with Manohar Parrikar, which Michael Lobo was not even aware of. We worked for Parrikar and not for BJP, for the development of Calangute. During the LS polls, the MLA Michael Lobo did not ask us to support the BJP candidate and began the election campaign in Calangute without seeking our support. We felt that the BJP did not want our support, so when the Congress candidate approached us for support we agreed to back his candidature in Calangute.
HERALD:You are now so politically opposed to your former friend Lobo that whatever project he initiates you oppose. Don’t you feel development will suffer?
SEQUEIRA: It is wrong to say that we are opposing developmental projects initiated by the government in Calangute. During the latest misunderstanding over the digging of panchayat road to lay underground cables, we only asked the contractor for a time frame to complete the project as residents were hard-hit due to closure of the road. But the MLA blew the issue out of proportion. We have never opposed any good development in the village as we are always for good development. I have never stopped major developmental works in Calangute and works like the sewage network or underground cabling are going on even though residents are hard hit due to digging of roads.
HERALD:The business lobby and other tourism stakeholders are now reluctant to openly support either you or Lobo, for fear of being victimized and harassed. Don’t you feel that this has severely affected business confidence in Calangute?
SEQUEIRA: I have never stopped any villager or business community members from approaching Calangute MLA Michael Lobo either for getting his work done or for any favours. I cannot impose my opinion or decisions on any individual. Anyone is free to approach the Calangute MLA for their personal or other works. Even during the previous MLA’s term, I did not stop the Congress workers from approaching the Congress MLA Agnelo Fernandes.
HERALD:You claimed a moral victory when the BJP could not get more votes than the Congress in the LS polls in Calangute constituency. You are now aligned with ex-MLA Agnelo Fernandes hoping to push Lobo out of power. But given the state of the Congress countrywide, do you think you are fighting a losing battle?
SEQUEIRA: The results in other States are immaterial for the electoral battle for the Goa Assembly in 2017. I will definitely contest the next Assembly polls on the Congress ticket. Being a Congressman, I am eligible for the Congress ticket.
