Scoring a point
It was Vijaibab and his senior colleague from Margao, Diggu, who are believed to have worked in tandem to ensure a boycott of the Assembly session on the day of Eid. A section of the Congress might have accused him in the past over his saffron connections, but it was Diggu who supported Vijaibab’s boycott idea leaving no chance for Ranemama to say no. Well both Vijai and Diggu were seen hopping from one house to another, extending Eid greetings to their Muslim brethren in both Margao and Fatorda. Vijaibab in particular, sources said, did not leave a single stone unturned to explain to his Muslim friends the how and why behind the Assembly boycott. While the Muslims performed qurbani on Eid day, Vijaibab and his Congress counterparts were in celebration mode for scoring some brownie points over the saffron brigade. Their love for the minority community is understandable. Muslims form part and parcel of the electorate not just in Fatorda and Margao, but South Goa itself is home to around 50,000 Muslim votes. Both the saffron camp and the opposition Congress must have certainly assessed the fall out of the Eid holiday episode in the coming Lok Sabha polls. In the meantime, Vijai was spotted with Babush Monseratte and Madkaikar in a starred hotel in Xaxtidom after announcing boycott of the Assembly.
The true lieutenant
He has not just been Xaxti’s lone minister in the saffron dispensation, but Manoharbhai’s lieutenant in Xaxtidom. Remember Manoharbhai appeasing Avertanbab by inaugurating the half completed South Goa District Collectorate building on his birthday earlier this year. Well, it was time for the Navelim MLA this week to stand by the Chief Minister when the Congress and his Independent friend Vijaibab announced boycott of the Assembly on Wednesday. At a time when Vijaibab was expecting the Navelim MLA to be with his Muslim constituents on Eid day, Avertanbab headed straight to the Secretariat to be with Manoharbhai in the Assembly. He says there was no fiat from the saffron brigade to reach the Assembly well on time on Eid day. And he admits that his absence from the Assembly would have left the saffron dispensation red-faced. So he decided to be with Manoharbhai than in Navelim. Sources say Avertanbab did make his presence felt back home late Wednesday evening to be with his Muslim friends, but it was too late to cover the entire ground. Muslims had rallied strongly behind Avertanbab to bring about parivartan in Navelim. The development must be certainly music to the ears of Churchillbab, who was holed up in the Gulf this week.
No birthday bash
Filipe Neribab was one Congress heavyweight politician amongst the lot in Xaxtidom who was perceived by many as having drawn up comeback plans after the decimation in the 2012 polls. This was evident by his presence at the district Congress meetings and at the Velim block level. Certainly, many an ardent supporter must have anticipated the former Velim MLA to throw a lavish birthday bash on Saturday to herald his comeback plan in Velim. But the calculated Filipe Neribab has decided to maintain low profile on his birthday. He has even inserted an advertisement in the media requesting his supporters not to spend money on birthday greetings. This has perplexed his supporters and aides as rival and incumbent MLA Benjamin D’Silva had thrown a birthday bash on the Ambelim football ground earlier this year. Filipe Neribab’s mobile is repeatedly coming switched off, further fuelling speculations that he has headed to the retreat centre at Pota. It could not be confirmed whether Filipe Neribab was attending a retreat at Pota. But in a season where politicos rush to pilgrim centres, including Vailankani, to seek divine blessings, Filipe Neri may not be an exception. Praise the Lord.
Doomed by a raid
Ask Filipe Neribab the main reason behind his downfall from Velim and he points his fingers to the income tax raid on the Velim Parish priest and the subsequent attack on CID personnel on the eve of the 2012 polls. Well, while the infamous income tax raid continues to be mired in mystery, the row has now come to haunt Filipe Neribab’s successor and Velim MLA Benjaminbab. The Cuncolim police had registered a case of attempt to murder against members of a mob for the attack on the CID personnel at the church premises. The case was registered on the eve of the Assembly polls and many might had expected the Parrikar government to withdraw the cases after assuming power, but in vain. That former Ambelim sarpanch Cruz Silva has fired a salvo at Benjaminbab earlier this week for his stand on the infamous IT raid case indicates that people of Velim have now begun to question the delay by the parivartan government to mete out justice to the people. Is Manoharbhai listening to the voices of Velimkars?
