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Symposium on Pre-Primary & Primary School Education &
Primary School Students Chess Tournament
More information at:
http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2008-January/068222.html
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Power politics or a joyride this!
MARGAO, JAN 23 - Call it plain power politics or simply taking the people
for a ride. When PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao finally merged his Save Goa
Front into the Congress on Wednesday, it was the third time that the Varca
strongman embraced the national party in his political career spanning over
two decades.
In fact, the entry and exit from the Congress has been the striking feature
of Alemao's politics, since he made a mark on the Goan political scene in
the 1980's.
Though he made his mark in the Legislative Assembly on the Congress banner,
Alemao was instrumental in dislodging the Congress government headed by
Pratapsing Rane and also bitterly fought two Assembly elections against the
national party, only to return back to the Congress fold.
Coincidentally, Alemao's entry into the Congress - on all three occasions -
came via mergers, be it the now defunct Goa Congress, or the United Goans
Democratic Party and the Save Goa Front.
The first time when Alemao landed into the Congress was when the leadership
of the Goa Congress led by Dr Wilfred de Souza merged the regional outfit in
the national party. He later contested the 1989 polls on the Congress
ticket, but quit the party within months to dislodge the Rane government.
Out in the wilderness, Alemao took over the mantle of the United Goans
Democratic Party on the eve of the 1994 Assembly polls and succeeded in
winning three seats in Congress' stronghold - Salcete.
But, he rejoined the Congress fold before the next Assembly polls in 1999,
when he overnight tried to merge the UGDP.
Less than a year ago, he again quit the Congress to take over the reins of
the Save Goa Front, only to merge the regional party back into the Congress
after nine months.
How does one explain Alemao's politics and his constant changing of sides?
Says a Constitutional expert and a political analyst Adv Cleofato Coutinho:
"He is taking the people of Salcete for a ride. In the present situation, it
is apparent that he has merged the party to safeguard just two things - the
PWD portfolio and his ministership. From his actions it is clear that he has
put himself before the party and the State."
http://www.oheraldo.in/pagedetails.asp?nid=7595&cid=10
