from daijiworld's special correspondent
Panaji, May 11: Outgoing south goa member of parliament Churchill Alemao on Thursday formally joined the Save Goa Front, a regional political outfit and declared the party’s plans to contest from 35 out of 40 seats in the state.
Alemao had resigned from Lok Sabha and later left the Congress party on May 8 to join the Save Goa front. A few hours after joining the party, he was elected as its president, last night in an emergency meeting called in South Goa.
“Regional parties have better future in the smaller state like Goa as the leaders need not rush to delhi to take high command’s permissions on tiniest of issues,” Alemao said briefing reporters here this afternoon.
The outgoing MP said that Save Goa front will fight the elections with the issues which are dear to the common people’s heart and those issues which are affecting them.
“Congress and BJP with their evil designs are all out to rob Goa of its beauty… We will not allow it. We work with the seven point programme,” Alemao said listing out the issues which includes opposition to special economic zone, say no to international airport at mopa, don’t allow draconian regional plan to usurp its head in Goa, recognition to Roman script in official language of Goa, political reservations to scheduled tribes and better public distribution system in the state.
Vowing to keep equidistance from congress and BJP for the ensuing state legislative assembly elections, Alemao said that both the parties have failed to fulfill aspiration of people forcing the electorate to look out for an alternative. “We are providing them the alternative for this election,” Alemao said.
The former congress veteran said that he would go to any extend to defeat congress and BJP in the state. “I am fielding candidate against my own brother Joaquim in Cuncolim, who is contesting the constituency on congress ticket,” Alemao said.
Meanwhile, the Save Goa Front party today declared their first list of candidates for the forthcoming elections which includes Alemao himself who will be contesting from Navelim constituency in South Goa.
The list includes Benjamin Silva (Velim), Remedios Fernandes (Loutolim), Milton Barretto (Vasco), Iqbal Sheikh (Mormugao), Raymond D’Sa (Cortalim), Johnson Fernandes (Margao), Aleixo Lowrence Reginaldo (Curtorim), Hemant Gracias (Canacona), Rahul Pereira (Quepem), Ludovico Gouveia (Thivim), Suresh Pilarnkar (StCruz), Salim Sayyed (Saligao) and Piedade Noronha (Fatorda).
Alemao in the news: