Margao: Stating that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is strong enough to contest the forthcoming state assembly elections on its own, the party’s lone MLA Churchill Alemao on Sunday said talks with the Congress party for an alliance are in progress and a decision in that regard will be taken by the party’s senior leaders.
Speaking to media persons at his office in Varca, Alemao said the NCP is pursuing the people’s demand for an alliance of like-minded people to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“Earlier, I had said that in around 15 days, decision on alliance would be made as senior NCP leaders had visited the state to hold talks. NCP president Jose Philip D’Souza and others met senior leaders including Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel and they have asked us to wait for some more time because talks are still underway with the Congress. I don’t have any strong personal demands, but people of the state want like-minded people to form an alliance and move forward to defeat the BJP,” he said.
Alemao also said NCP as a party is strong enough to go it alone. “Today the high command has asked us to wait for a few more days but I would like to say that the NCP is a strong party and maybe stronger than the Congress. The Congress party was once upon a time one home but today it has been divided into five parts because of differences. TMC’s Mamta Banerjee and NCP’s Sharad Pawar were also Congress leaders earlier,” he said.
As the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is trying to make headway into the state, Alemao said that he too had been approached to join the party but added that he would not ditch his party. “TMC has approached me but I will not take a decision till my leaders have their say. I cannot leave because Pawar has never hurt me. If I get an offer from others, I will not go until my people and my party says okay. I don’t want to ditch my party leaders,” he said.
The MLA reiterated that he has not given a written letter of support to the BJP government but supported it on issue basis to ensure there was development in his constituency.
Speaking about rumours that senior Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro may leave his party, Alemao said Faleiro may have been hurt.
“In 1999, Luizinho Faleiro formed the government when I was made Industries minister. Then, in 2007, when he was the party president, he won 17 seats and now it seems that he has been kept aside. It must have hurt him. I haven’t spoken to him but I understand the feeling,” said Alemao.
