Porvorim, Mar 21 (TOI): Trust Benaulim MLA and NCP legislator Churchill Alemao to lighten up a sombre and serious occasion. The veteran politician was unimpressed with the need to appoint two deputy chief ministers and made it a point to express his thoughts, much to the delight of the otherwise tense gallery.
“When he (Manohar Parrikar) was there, he made one deputy chief minister, Francis D’Souza. Now you have made two deputy chief ministers. This will not go well. I can’t predict what will happen like this,” Alemao said during the discussion on the condolence motion called to honour Parrikar, former deputy chief minister Francis D’Souza, and former deputy speaker Vishnu Surya Wagh.
Alemao extended support to Congress and voted against the BJP-led alliance.
Minutes before the Pramod Sawant-led government was due to face the crucial floor test, Alemao offered some humour-laced advice to the coalition government in his inimitable style.
“I hope the CM and deputy CMs give this government guidance on how to work,” he said. “I hope they don’t start blocking files and don’t do this person’s and that person’s work. Parrikar never said no to anybody but you have the habit of not doing other people’s work,” he chastised them.
Though the lawmaker was trying to pay homage to Parrikar, he managed to bring in his own personal grievance into the sombre process. He said Parrikar had sanctioned Rs 3 crore for the Churchill Brothers football team, but funds had not been released for the current financial year despite repeated follow-ups with bureaucrats and MLAs.
“After he (Parrikar) fell sick, the Rs 3 crore which was sanctioned isn’t being released,” Alemao said. “I called everyone from Sawant to deputy chief minister Vijai Sardesai to the sports minister.” Ticking off the trio, he alleged that the money still hasn’t been released because they “don’t have command”.
Sports minister Manohar Azgaonkar tried to pacify Alemao and assured him that the funds would be released. “I want to tell Churchill that he will get Rs 3 crore from the BJP government. You will get it. Don’t expect it from anybody else,” Azgaonkar said.
“The chief minister should have command,” Alemao went on. “It was because he (Parrikar) had command that BJP became strong. But now it will be difficult for BJP to have such a chief minister. If Parrikar is not there, you (BJP) can’t do anything.”
The NCP lawmaker also blamed BJP for “capturing” Francis D’Souza and Vishnu Surya Wagh.