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Churchill Alemao and Vijay Sardessai are two sides of the same coin
By Nisser Dias
nisserdias at gmail.com
SMS to 9422437029
The recent mud-slinging match or rather washing dirty linen in public by
the PWD minister Churchill Alemao and his bête noire and Goa Pradesh
Congress Committee general secretary and Fatorda candidate in waiting
Vijay Sardessai brings to the fore the dark side of politics. Especially
when these two personalities go back a long way, but today they are
spitting venom against each other as both of them are trying to sabotage
each other’s interests. As of today Vijay Sardessai has won a round
against the Varca strong man by getting Pratima Coutinho elected as the
president of Youth Congress in Goa and for that he might have pay
heavily at the 2012 assembly election.
But knowing how shrewd and cunning Vijay is, he is not likely to allow
Churchill to have the floor all to himself as the Fatorda
candidate-in-waiting knows the fine nuances of his mentor’s working,
functioning and machinations which makes it easier for him to plan the
counter move. Ironically he has been talking about Churchill’s money and
muscle power. Has Vijay not resorted to such tactics. How has Vijay been
permitted to construct his residential house, plum, in the middle of the
agricultural land? If one digs into the past and present of Vijay’s
life, lot’s of skeletons are likely to tumble from his closet and that
too without being elected. One can simply wonder how far his tentacles
will reach if elected.
But, Vijay Sardessai cannot deny that he climbed the social and
political ladder using the Alemao brothers. Not only that, Vijay whose
credibility in the eyes of the general masses is abysmal, was under
Churchill’s protection from his college days. Infact I would define
Churchill Alemao and Vijay Sardessai as two sides of the same coin. And
can we forget that they even have a common friend who is allegedly well
connected in the Bombay underworld and who was also in the thick of the
gold smuggling case involving the Alemao family. Of course in the
initial days of the rift between the veteran and novice politicians this
common friend tried to act as the mediator but it could not be
fructified as there were already differences in business deals between
Churchill and Vijay which could not be resolved as Churchill wanted the
lion’s share as usual.
It was really interesting to note Vijay Sardessai making the disclosure
that Churchill Alemao had received ‘supari’ from the BJP at the last
assembly hustings to defeat congress candidates in the Salcete so as to
ensure BJP comes to power. Who else would know such details if not for
the former co-opted councilor of Margao Municipal Council. But what I
would like to know is, did Vijay Sardessai bring it to the notice of his
party then that Churchill was under the BJP’s influence, if so why did
he not make a statement in the press then as the general secretary of
the party. This indicates that Vijay who has so far faced only defeats
at elections is equally guilty. And Churchill himself has made it amply
clear yesterday when he said that Vijay has been with him for the last
18 years.
This is not the only time that the GPCC secretary has worked against the
Congress. Can we forget Vijay Sardessai’s role in Babush Monserrate
ditching Congress at the eleventh hour during the last assembly election
and getting elected on UGDP ticket? Even though as a general secretary
of the Congress he was privy to intra party discussion he was also seen
in company of Babush. Then, was Vijay not in the know how when Churchill
Alemao tried to the topple the Digambar Kamat as chief minister within
three months of forming the government? He had easy access to the GPCC
deliberations to save the government as well as he had free access to
the detractors or rather coup members who had holed up in star hotels.
During the run-up to the last assembly elections Vijay Sardessai was
asked by the media whether he would support other Congress candidate in
Fatorda constituency if he was not allotted the party ticket to contest
the election, he had categorically said that he would contest the polls
irrespective of the ticket. Thus Vijay Sardessai is equally a traitor
and a turncoat like Churchill Alemao and lot other Congress men.
Vijay’s recent grouse against his mentor turned enemy is that Churchill
attended the finals of a football match organized by his rivals thereby
giving them the moral boost to file their nominations at the upcoming
assembly elections from Fatorda constituency which would lead to
division of votes due to which Sardessai feels that Congress candidate
or rather he will not win the seat. Of course it is said that politics
should be kept away from sports. If Churchill wants to plot against his
bête noire and field candidate he has the potential to do it without
being seen, just because he puts a public appearance and shares the dais
with some other politicians cannot be taken as he is working against the
interest of the Congress.
If that is the case why did Vijay Sardessai attend Edwin Barretto’s
birthday bash, knowing very well that Churchill is desperately trying to
corner Benaulim Congress ticket for his daughter Valanka and that
Cavelossim sarpanch Edwin has also staked his claim for it. Both
Churchill Alemao and Vijay Sardessai are trying to rub salt in other’s
wounds to safeguard their political interest. They have absolutely no
interest in the well being and development of Goa and Goans and thus
such politicians should be ousted and not given an entry into politics.
In politics it is said there are no permanent friends or enemies only
marriage of convenience.
And now for a tailpiece – Churchill Alemao has said during the laying of
foundation stone for multi crore project that he would retire from
politics if he does get elected from Navelim. For Churchill politics is
not only his bread and butter but jam also. Lest we forget that the
constituents of Benaulim constituency had retired him from politics. He
was given a reprieve by Congress party to contest south Goa MP election
and he was defeated there too, but shamelessly he came back. What
Churchill Alemao does in politics in the next five years will be for his
pension fund. (ENDS)
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First published in Gomantak Times, Goa - October 13, 2011
