In warm-up to Goa polls, Alemao sings dissent note

Controversial Member of Parliament from Goa, Churchill Alemao, who was caught by a sting camera team demanding kickbacks for disbursing funds under the MPLAD scheme...

Controversial Member of Parliament from Goa, Churchill Alemao, who was caught by a sting camera team demanding kickbacks for disbursing funds under the MPLAD scheme, appears to be hobnobbing with the BJP.

With Goa set for Assembly polls in early 2007, Alemao emerged as a major dissident threatening to prop up the United Goans Democratic Party with which he was earlier associated. Alemao has begun to once again play the Catholic card in Goa with his campaigns against the proposed airport at Mopa in North Goa on the grounds that the taxi drivers and small businessmen from the minority community, his main support base, would be rendered jobless.

In his campaign speeches, Alemao has been threatening to leave the Congress party if his supporters8217; concerns were not taken into account. Last week, at a public meeting Alemao said he would contest from Navelim constituency, presently that of Industries Minister Luizinho Faleiro, much to the delight of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

A former chief minister, Alemao has always enjoyed a cozy relationship with state BJP leader Manohar Parrikar and therefore, his recent statements have raised the hackles of Congress partymen in Goa.

Congress High Command, however, has not taken much note of it. AICC general secretary in-charge of Goa, Margaret Alva, who attended a function at Alemao8217;s house, did not pay much heed to his opponents within the party.

But Vishnu Wagh, general secretary of the Congress, maintained, 8220;It is high time the High Command took strict action on Alemao whose main game is to destabilise the government and harm the interests of the party during the elections.8221;

Youth Congress president Girish Chodankar said, 8220;Alemao8217;s utterances against the leaders and his anti-party activities at the time of elections requires his immediate expulsion from the party. The High Command is sending a wrong message by their attitude towards Alemao.8221;

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A Catholic minister in Pratapsinh Rane8217;s cabinet warned that Alemao8217;s activities could see polarisation of voters on religious lines with the minority community moving away from the Congress towards a regional party. 8220;Everybody in the party is disturbed to see Alva hobnobbing with Alemao and NCP chief in Goa Wilfred D8217;Souza,8221; he noted.

Thanks to his closeness to Margaret Alva, Alemao has brought back several defectors who had, earlier, left the Congress for the BJP.