South Goa MP Churchil to quit Congress, contest Assembly

Panaji, Apr 19 (UNI) Controversial South Goa Congres MP Churchil Alemao, who spared no time to lambast his own party leadership, has at last decided to resign his membership of Parliament as also of the Party on May 10.

At the same time, he would contest from the Navelim Assembly segment for the June 2 polls in Goa on behalf of the Save Goa Front, a recently-floated regional outfit, pleading for all-round development of the island state.

Talking to UNI here today, he said he was disillusioned with the Congress leadership and the government in Goa which failed to meet his demands, that included scrapping of the proposed Mopa International Airport in North Goa and the 6-lane express highway linking the North and South Goa.

In fact, he had launched a tirade against the Congress through his tumultous and vociferous campaign across the state for the last few months even after he was served a showcause notice for his alleged anti-party activities.

Surprisingly, even the AICC general secretary in charge of Goa desk Margret Alva, till the other day, exuded confidence that Churchil would sail with the Congress and give up dissidence.

Navelim constituency has hitherto been held by his staunch political rival and education-cum-industries minister Luizinho Faleiro.

Incidentally, both of them were former Chief Miniters of Goa.

The GPCC ledership failed to initiate disciplinary action against Churchil despite becoming a thorn in the party's pillow, saying it was left to the wisdom of the party high command.

UNI