SOIRIGOTH: YURI ALEMAO TO CONTEST ELECTIONS ON NCP TICKET

PANJIM: The next assembly elections could see another Alemao – Mr Yuri Alemao, the son of the Urban Development Minister, Mr Joaquim Alemao – contesting in the Sanguem constituency on a Nationalist Congress Party ticket, sources informed.

The likelihood of this happening became stronger following a statement emanating from the NCP that kith and kin of Congress leaders might be given party tickets and reports that a meeting had taken place between the minister and NCP top brass.

Mr Yuri Alemao has thrown his hat in the ring along with his cousin Ms Valanka Alemao for the assembly elections that could take place as early as February 2012.

"We are not concerned who the father is, who the mother is. We are only concerned with who will serve the party and the people. Winnability is definitely a factor in distribution of tickets," the state NCP president, Mr Surendra Sirsat told media even as the central observer, Ms Bharthi Chavan hastened to add that no commitment had been given to anyone.

Ms Chavan is in the state ostensibly to get the party galvanised and coordinate with its big brother the Congress.  The NCP is keen on playing a larger role in the state and there has been a steady exodus of politicians and aspiring politicians to the party. The state unit president is on record saying that: "We will prove to the people that we are the third front."

Mr Joaquim Alemao held some cards close to his chest but revealed enough to confirm that his son would contest the next elections.

Stressing on his loyalty to the party, Mr Joaquim Alemao said that even though his brother had left the party he had not joined him.  "I did not talk to him for 19 days," he recalled.

Aware of the protocol in the Congress he said: "My demand is not for the Congress ticket. The Congress has a protocol. So I will not demand Congress ticket for him nor have I forced him to stand for elections. But my son is very active and the people are with him. In the taluka out of the seven panchayats, six are with him and 10 out of 10 councillors are with him."

He emphasised that the Congress should examine the winnability of a candidate.  Mr Churchill Alemao too has declared that his daughter would contest the elections and both the second generation Alemaos are putting in a lot of effort and are very active in the constituencies that they have targeted.

The PWD Minister had left the Congress and fought the assembly elections under the Save Goa banner. His party managed to get two seats and after the elections the two MLAs – Mr Churchill Alemao himself and the current PDA chairperson and Curtorim MLA, Mr Reginaldo Lourenco joined the Congress.