from daijiworld's special correspondent

Panaji, May 21: Amongst the various hurdles to overcome to retain power in Goa, the Congress will have to counter a major factor in South Goa constituencies in the June 2 polls - Churchill Alemao.

Alemao, who resigned from the Lok Sabha and Congress party recently to form his own political outfit 'Save Goa Front', is likely to jeopardize Congress' prospects in various constituencies in the Catholic-dominated region.

The Congress party has already termed Alemao as a "BJP-sponsored ploy".

"If you study the pattern how Alemao has fielded his candidates, it is clear that he aims to damage the Congress party in certain constituencies," Sanjay Nirupam, Maharashtra Congress spokesperson, who is camping here to review the party campaign, told.

"It's a known fact that Churchill's party is BJP's move to split secular votes," he added.

Save Goa Front has fielded 19 candidates for the 40-member assembly election, mainly in Salcette constituencies, dominated by Catholic population.

Alemao is contesting against senior Congress leader Luzinho Faleiro in Navelim constituency. "He is an opportunist... He left the party because the party did not pay heed to his demand of ministry in union cabinet," Nirupam said.

The BJP, on the other hand, claimed that they don't have any relation with Save Goa Front.

"There is no truth in all these allegations...There is no question of any understanding with Alemao," BJP senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu told reporterson Sunday.

"We (Alemao and BJP) differ on ideologies and perception," Naidu explained.

But interestingly, BJP has not fielded candidates in a few of the constituencies where Save Goa Front is in the fray, making it evident that it supports the Alemao-led party.

"We have not fielded any candidates in a few constituencies as we don't want the votes to split and let Congress get an advantage," BJP Goa unit chief Shripad Naik said.

About the Congress' allegation of his pact with the BJP, Alemao said, "Congress is frustrated and hence level all these allegations. Why would I ally with BJP that is supporting Mopa airport cause?"

Alemao had recently announced a seven-point agenda of his party which includes its opposition to the international airport at Mopa.

The Save Goa Front president said that post-poll he will lend support only to those parties who are ready to accept his party's seven-point agenda in favour of Goans.

"We are fighting for the identity of Goa and Goans. The party is floated only with the aim to save Goa," Alemao claimed.

While Catholic-dominated constituencies like Benaulim, Loutolim, Navelim, Cortalim, Curtorim and Velim have always remained with the Congress or Congress-supported candidates in the past, this time it may not be a cakewalk for the party, thanks to the Alemao factor.