Waiting for an opportunity
It’s exactly a week since Churchillbab was back with Mission Mopa ~ more than six years after the Save Goa Front aeroplane had crash landed in the Congress. The Varca strongman has sought to silence his detractors by affirming that he does not need Mopa for his political resurrection. But, speakers, including Radharaobab, have openly batted for Churchillbab to play another round of political innings in Goan politics. Well, Churchillbab is keeping all political options open. His supporters say that the veteran politician will throw his hat in the ring in Benaulim in the event Caitubab loses the citizenship battle. But insiders say the former PWD Minister has not closed the option of contesting the Lok Sabha polls if Caitubab’s disqualification petition is not disposed of by then. Co-incidentally, the Varca strongman was spotted in many places in South Goa over the last one week. It is learnt that his close supporters want him to contest the 2014 LS polls, but he appears keeping his cards close to his chest. He did not drop any hints about his political future, but the assembly of mostly anti-Congress forces at the Margao meet did raise some eyebrows in political circles. In the meanwhile, though a week has passed since it was resolved to resume the anti-Mopa movement, Churchillbab is yet to constitute his committee or name the new movement. Last time round, Save Goa Front was Churchillbab’s mascot that helped him wrest two seats in Congress stronghold. Hazard a guess what name would Churchillbab’s anti-Mopa Movement take this time round.
When old foes met
Mission Mopa may or may not achieve the desired objective, but Churchillbab’s political movement ~ unlike Fr Eremito’s apolitical one ~ has already succeeded in bringing former and present UGDP leaders, including Churchillbab, Radharaobab and Anacletbab, on one platform. Perhaps for the first time, Churchillbab and UGDP’s big boss, Anacletbab, shared a common dais, years after the party former supremo parted ways with the UGDP. Since then, Anacletbab had turned out a bitter critic of the Varca strongman, opposing him tooth and nail in the Assembly polls. Anacletbab sought to wriggle himself out of the embarrassing situation by saying that he is not attending the meeting as Churchillbab’s supporter, but as a like-minded citizen, worried about Dabolim’s future. Well, after the meeting, Churchillbab and Anacletbab were spotted together for a brief moment, when the Varca strongman offered a handshake, only to be reciprocated by the UGDP secretary general. It’s known whether Anacletbab has forgiven or forgotten the Varca strongman for deserting the UGDP in the late 90s. And the coming together of former and present UGDP leaders on one platform has indeed raised many an eyebrow. It’s too early to say how Xaxti’s politics will unfold in the run up to the Lok sabha polls. Those close to the Varca strongman say the anti-Mopa movement will certainly come in handy for Churchillbab to prove to all and sundry, especially the Congress high command, post-elevation of his bête noire Luizinhbab in the Congress hierarchy that he may be down post-2012 polls, but certainly not out politically.
Mission Xaxti on track
Manoharbhai was in Xaxtidom during the weekend with his three Xaxti lieutenants ~ Avertan, Caitu and Benjamin ~ as he took the platform at Sao Joao festivities at Benaulim to praise Xaxtikars and take potshots at the Churchillbab-Radharaobab combine. He described Xaxtikars as loveable and kind hearted people compared to their counterparts in other talukas. And, in the same vein, he said that when kind-hearted people turn angry, there’s nothing stopping them from sending even families home ~ in an obvious reference to the rout of the Alemao family in the Assembly 2012 polls. Well, the Chief Minister tried to reassure Caitu that nothing would happen to him on the question of his citizenship. He even asked people like Radharaobab to stop dreaming of any vacancy in Benaulim within six months or thereafter, bringing smile on the face of a worried Caitubab. So confident was Manoharbhai that he publicly announced that the people will find the same MLAs on the stage at next year’s Sao Joao celebrations. Well, Manoharbhai’s Mission Xaxti, which he started nearly a decade ago on the eve of the 2004 Lok Sabha polls, seems to have covered much ground in minority-dominated Xaxti. What he could not achieve a decade ago, Manoharbhai seems to have come close in his mission to reach out to the minorities. And his three lieutenants have come in handy to take his Mission to Xaxti’s interior. In the meantime, Sao Joao revellers are still wondering why Manoharbhai was reluctant to adorn the Sao Joao kopel, before he wore one for a brief moment upon request from the media. No rewards for the right guesses.
A new political equation
It was a week when Vijaibab finally returned home after attending a conference in Brussels. Well, apart from the conference, Vijaibab is believed to have visited a number of places in Europe. Accompanying him, sources said, was his long-time ally, Babush Monseratte, both of whom finally landed in Mumbai via Dubai earlier this week. Well, the Babush-Vijai friendship has come in handy for the local NCP leaders to further push Vishnu Wagh’s candidature for the North Goa seat. Insiders in the NCP say that support from the Babush-Jennifer duo, besides Pandurang Madkaikar is crucial if the party can dream of making inroads in Tiswadi to wrest the North Goa seat. Last time round, the party had come close to defeat Sripadbhau, but Tiswadi played spoilsport, party leaders said. And Vijaibab has surely has a role to play this time given his close ties with NCP Goa chief Nilkanth Halarnkar, his proximity to the Monserattes and his new-found friendship with Wagh. Only time will tell whether the new political combination would take shape or not. Wait and watch.
An airport meeting
What was Fatorda’s Damubab doing at the Dabolim airport on Thursday midnight? Certainly, his presence had nothing to do with the airport controversy. Inquiries have revealed that the BJP leader’s presence was attributed to his midnight appointment with Manoharbhai. Sources said Damubab had been seeking an appointment with Manoharbhai for quite some time, but in vain. Finally, Manoharbhai okayed the appointment, but at the Dabolim airport lobby before he took the flight to London. What transpired between Damubab and Manoharbhai remains unknown.It’s unclear whether Damubab took up the South Goa Lok Sabha ticket issue with Manoharbhai.
