Alemao backs Kamat, gets Cabinet berth

PANAJI: In an unparalleled political somersault, Churchil Alemao, who was swearing at Congress president Sonia Gandhi not so long ago, on Tuesday returned to the Congress fold to save the Digambar Kamat government in Goa the blushes. Mr Alemao, till last week, was at the forefront of a campaign to topple the very same government he has brokered truce with.

Once the poster boy of the Congress from South Goa, Alemao quit the party to form ‘Save Goa Front’ (SGF) just before the elections. His desertion prompted Margaret Alva, the party’s general secretary in charge of Goa, to call him a “mere joker”. Today, he was accorded a Cabinet rank in the state government led by the same party.

This former Congress member, who had earlier withdrawn support to the Digambar Kamat government, thereby forcing it to face the vote of confidence in the Assembly, had a “change of heart” on Monday when he decided to come to Congress’ rescue again.

In a late-night development, Mr Alemao along with Raginaldo Lourenco of the SGF shot off a letter to Goa governor SC Jamir pledging their support to Mr Kamat. Mr Kamat then hurriedly inducted Mr Alemao into the Cabinet to prevent him from having another change of heart. He is likely to be given the coveted PWD portfolio. rendered vacant after Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party's (MGP) Sudin Dhavlikar quit the Congress for GDA. “I’ve given support for stability, but will watch the government. It has to work in people's interest,” said Alemao.

With this, Alemao becomes the second leader after Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate to have deserted the Congress only to embrace it later. The decision to join hands with the Congress is said to have been taken after days of consultation that Alemao had with close friends and senior Congress members in Delhi.