Joaquim issues veiled threat to Congress

Margao: Former urban development minister Joaquim Alemao, on Monday, spelt out his own definition of party loyalty. Responding to a query at a press briefing, he said, "I am a loyal soldier of the Congress. But if they don't give me the ticket for the 2017 assembly elections, I will do what I want."
Alemao said that he has begun analyzing the cause of his defeat in the last election and has been holding meetings in all wards of Cuncolim.He said that so far, he has conducted 18 such meetings and added that he has been getting a‘very good response'. , Alemao said, "I am like more than before now (sic)."
In a pompous display of public support, Alemao felicitated Guiridolim sarpanch Sonia Dias and four of her fellow panchayat members for ‘joining' him. When asked if they have joined the Congress, he gave an evasive reply. The new Alemao-supporters attributed their decision to the "development" Alemao had carried out during his tenure alleging that for the last four years, there has been ‘no development' in Cuncolim. Alemao's son, Yuri, who lost to Sanguem MLA Subhash Phal Dessai, was present at the meeting.
Milagres Gonsalves, a tiatrist, among those who joined the Joaquim Alemao camp on Monday, said that the father-son duo helped him in his medical treatment after he suffered a massive heart attack two months back. "I worked for the BJP for the last 25 years, but no BJP leader came to see me, except Vishnu Wagh and I am grateful to him. This came as a shock for me," Gonsalves said.
The other members are Milagres Gonsalves, Ballu Nistani, Vincy Piexote, and Agnelo Crasto.
Mario Moraes, vice chairperson of Cuncolim municipal council (CMC), informed reporters that he has sought a vigilance inquiry against the chief officer (CO) of the CMC, Pandharinath Naik, for alleged irregularities in the garbage treatment plant at Cuncolim during his tenure as CO.