After former Goa chief minister Churchill Alemao's exit, Congress shuts door on defectors

PANAJI: Congress today permanently shut doors on former Goa chief minister Churchill Alemao, saying that deserters would not be allowed in the party again.

All India Congress Committee Secretary A Chellakumar who is in Goa to participate in the Lok sabha election campaign told reporters that those who left the party won't be re-admitted.

"Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi during Jaipur Conference had endorsed this view," he said.

Alemao, a former Congressman quit the party to join Trinamool Congress, and filed his nomination today from South Goa constituency against Congress candidate Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, BJP's Narendra Sawaikar and AAP's Swati Kerkar.

Goa Congress chief John Fernandes had in recent past claimed that Pradesh Congress Committee will move a resolution seeking permanent ban on defectors.

The Congress party which is facing rebellion after the ticket distribution has began parleys with the dissidents.

Chellakumar said that he met sitting MP Fransisco Sardinha, who was denied ticket in South Goa and convinced him to support the party candidate.

Sardinha has agreed to campaign for the party, he added. "Selection of candidate is the discretion of the central election committee. We give chance to experienced and also new faces," Chellakumar commented.