Sandesh Prabhudesai
12 May 1999
Panic-hit Goa Congress leaders have rushed to Delhi as the new formula
is likely to deny tickets to several former ministers in the state Assembly elections,
scheduled for June 4.
Following the formula adopted for state elections in Madhya Pradesh and
Rajasthan, Congress plans not to allot tickets to party detractors and tainted leaders in
the forthcoming Assembly polls in Goa.
As the state election committee, along with the high command observers,
left for Delhi today with shortlisted names of aspirants, the tainted and controversial
Congressmen also joined the bandwagon to plead their cases before the high command.
This includes four former ministers, who had toppled the Congress
government by splitting and joining hands with the opposition to form a coalition
government. Though they came back within three months by toppling the opposition
government, they may be punished for their crime.
Topping the list of tainted leaders however are former ministers Mauvin
Godinho, who is allegedly involved in a multi-crore power rebate scam and Somnath
Zuwarkar, whose son faces charge of being allegedly involved in running an unauthorised
private bank and extortion using strong arm tactics.
After getting defamed tremendously with charges of corruption and
greedy politics since it started ruling Goa from 1980, Congress is now attempting to
cleanse its image by getting ‘fresh blood’ in the Assembly by following the
formula.
The formula basically chooses candidates on the grounds of merit which,
according to the Congress, is party loyalty, clean image and winning prospects. If
implemented, it would hit at least six out of 20 former Congress MLAs.
"We would strictly follow these selection guidelines as they have
been proved successful in other states", says Ramesh Chenithalla, the AICC observer
for Goa. He has shortlisted names from among 285 aspirants for 40 constituencies.
The final list would be now released from Delhi, after the central
election committee scrutinises it and shortlists it further, to be placed before party
chief Sonia Gandhi. Decision regarding disputed candidates has also been left to the
president.
While general mood in Goa is against defections with selfish motives,
it has to be seen whether party would adopt same criteria towards those who have come back
to the party fold after four years. Churchill Alemao, former COFEPOSA detenue, is among
such five leaders.
Chenithalla was assisted by former MPs Mabel Rebello and Govindrao Adik
while Margaret Alva was also in Goa. They have left for the national capital along with
PEC chairman Pratapsing Rane, Goa PCC chief Luizinho Faleiro, both former MPs Ravi Naik
and Francisco Sardinha as well as Rajya Sabha MP John Fernandes and Churchill Alemao, the
PEC member.
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