Joaquim loses his cool
It was a week when Joaquimbab blew hot and cold after being summoned to depose before the Jha Commission probing into the Ruby residency building collapse case. He lost his cool when he spotted the media around as he marched into the Collectorate, south with son Yuri in tow. Joaquimbab, sources said, sought to know from Jha why and who alerted the media if his appearance before the panel was a mere formality. He came out and clarified to the world that an urban development minister has no role to play in issuing construction licenses. And, by the same logic, he demanded to know why the then Town and Country Planning minister was not summoned by Jha in view of the glaring irregularities in the TCP permissions. Joaquimbab’s demand assumes significance given that the TCP was then headed by the friend turned foe of the Varca based Alemao clan, Diggu. Though the logic sounds correct, the Jha Commission, sources say, is unmoved by Joaquimbab’s call to summon Diggu for examination. The Alemao-Diggu political rivalry is an open secret and the Commission, sources say, may not act in haste to summon the former chief minister. Incidentally, it still remains a mystery why the Commission had thought of summoning Joaquimbab before the panel. Wait till mid-July to know the answer as the Jha panel is expected to submit its report to the government.
Cong upbeat, Avertano unperturbed
The Congress surge in Navelim in the Lok Sabha polls may have kept party workers in an upbeat mood. Smiles must have returned on the diminutive Navelim block Congress chief Conceissaobab with the party flag finally flying in the constituency after a long, long time. And, it must have come as a good news for Luizinhbab’s wife Rachealbai as well, who had done the spadework before husband returned from Delhi on the eve of the polls. The result may even tempt many a Congress worker to demand the return of Luizinhbab to play yet another innings. But, the Avertanbab camp is not overly disturbed over the poll result. In fact, many a close aide and supporter of the fisheries minister in private say that poll result has gone in their favour. The logic is simple. In the 2012 Assembly poll, the Congress could be checkmated Navelim after the BJP decided to rally behind Avertanbab. Local political observers say the BJP, despite its sizeable presence, could not have won the Navelim seat on its own. And, the Lok Sabha result has virtually checkmated the overambitious saffron leaders, who were not averse in contesting the 2017 Assembly poll in Navelim on the Lotus symbol on its own strength. The saffron brigade must have by now realised that it’s still unsafe to test the political waters on its own. Indeed, this should sound good news for the Avertan camp for the moment.
Cong on trail of Churchill, Valanka
The Congress seems to be tracking down the movement of the father-daughter duo of Churchillbab and ladli Valankabai over the last two weeks. It’s now a fortnight since the father-daughter duo have been conspicuous by their absence from Varca. News has been doing the rounds in Xaxtidom that the duo have headed to Delhi with the Congress disciplinary panel in the process of zeroing in on Valanakabai and Joaquimbab. Congress leaders even claim that a party leader was sent on a mission to Delhi to get the disciplinary team either expanded or disbanded at the instance of some party leaders who are in the eye of the storm for anti-party activities. Churchillbab admits that he has not been in Goa for the last two weeks, but has firmly denied that he is holed up in Delhi to lobby for Valankabai. The Varca strongman says that ladli daughter does not need his help or assistance to continue to remain in saddle. In fact, though he is no more in the Congress, Churchillbab has questioned moves to unseat a duly elected youth Congress president by congressmen who have not won a single election. When Churchillbab was contacted over the phone, he said he was in Pune, while daughter Valankabai was in Mumbai. And, he has not made any secret over his planned visit to Delhi early next week. His detractors must be certainly keeping their fingers crossed whether the visit is in connection with politics or his Churchill Brothers football team facing an axe from the I-League.
Shouting brigade fallen silent
The shouting brigade comprising of Independent Vijaibab and Reginaldbab from the Congress from down south has mysteriously fallen silent. Nothing much has been heard from the duo post Lok Sabha results, except their token presence at the Azad Maidan in support of Devubab. While Vijaibab’ silence is understandable since he is presently on a tour to Europe with family, Reginaldbab’s silence is deafening. Unlike the Independent MLA, the CLP spokesman is very much holed up in his Curtorim village. Reginaldbab, however, appears sore and unhappy that the very Congress leaders, who conspired and connived against him in the election, have virtually gone scot free. Sources said the Curtorim MLA is in the forefront and has taken up the matter with party leaders, including Johnbab, within and outside the party fora, to initiate action against these leaders, including his traditional rival Sardinhbab. But, as action is not forthcoming from the party leadership till date, Reginaldbab has decided to lie low and wait and watch. He must certainly be waiting for Vijaibab’s return to Goa to devise their future strategy. It is learnt that the duo had met before Vijaibab’s departure to take stock of the Lok Sabha result and their political standing vis-à-vis the Congress and the BJP. Sounds interesting, isn’t it. Since the duo had to rival BJP and the saboteurs within the Congress in the Lok Sabha poll.
