PANAJI: As the Goa Assembly elections draw closer, the ruling Congress is facing a major crisis in its traditional stronghold of Catholic-dominated Salcete taluk of South Goa over an indecisive stand adopted by Churchill Alemao, south Goa MP, over his continuation in the Party.

With the Assembly elections due in May this year, Mr. Alemao's continuation in the party is proving to be a source of major embarrassment to the ruling party while his quitting the party at this juncture to join any regional party can prove disastrous to its prospects in Catholic-dominated constituencies.

Achilles' heel

Mr. Alemao has turned out to be an Achilles' heel for the party with his anti-party activities and anti-party tirades growing by the day. He had already announced that he would contest the coming elections on the Save Goa Democratic Party(SGDP) ticket, a newly floated regional outfit, or would rejoin the United Goans Democratic Party(UGDP), another regional outfit, provided the leaders of the party considered his demands.

Much to the chagrin of the Congress, Mr. Alemao has succeeded in projecting himself as a man who has over the last few years consistently stood up for Goa even against decisions of the Congress party.

Mr. Alemao has already raised issues and questioned projects such as the proposed Mopa airport, SEZs, expressway project describing them as opposed to Goa's interests.

At a public meeting held in Margao in south Goa on Saturday, Mr. Alemao declared that the regional outfits of the Democratic Party and UGDP could enter into an alliance and contest the assembly elections.

Disclosing that a request had come from UGDP leaders to join the party, Mr. Alemao said that he had asked for the post of the president and 11 executive members with UGDP leaders.

Mr. Alemao made it clear that he would contest the election from the Navelim constituency of south Goa, a seat represented by senior south Goa Congressman and Industries Minister Luzizinho Faleiro.

He has already declared that he would not support the Congress in the assembly election and would step down from MP's post at an appropriate time.

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