Churchill Alemao - the 'Jumping Jack' of Goan politics. - By Nisser Dias

Churchill Alemao

Benaulim constituency MLA Churchill Alemao’s common diatribe has been that political parties does not matter to him as he has always been people’s candidate.

How since his plunge into politics in the late 80’s he has changed parties like he changes his underwears.

Churchill Alemao’s tryst in politics started with his election victory as the Congress candidate in 1989. Few months later on 27^th March 1990 he split the Congress to form the Progressive Democratic Front government in coalition with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.

During this PDF-MGP coalition government, with MGP’s late Sasikala Kakodkar as education minister the medium of instruction was changed from English to mother tongue.

During this period Churchill created history by becoming the first Catholic Chief Minister of Goa, albeit for only 19 days as he resigned to pave way for Dr. Luis Proto Barbosa. PDF government collapsed in December that year.

With NCP

In 1994 elections Churchill Alemao was elected to the Legislative Assembly as the UGDP candidate and remained an MLA till 1996 when he contested parliamentary election and defeated Congress candidate to the Lok Sabha Eduardo Faleiro.

At the bye-elections held in 1996, he introduced his brother Joaquim Alemao in politics and won the Benaulim constituency as the UGDP candidate.

After a gap of 10 years during 1999 elections, Churchill Alemao in an act of ‘ghar whapsi’ returned to the Congress fold and won from Benaulim constituency and was rewarded with the Industries and Tourism ministries.

Francisco Xavier alias Micky Pacheco the UGDP candidate defeated Churchill Alemao in 2002 thereby ending his reign in Benaulim constituency.

Thereafter the Congress party again rehabilitated Churchill Alemao by nominating him to Lok Sabha however when 2007 assembly elections were announced he trained his guns at his party and termed Congress as communal and corrupt.

He resigned from the Congress party and set up his own outfit known as Save Goa Front and was victorious after defeating Luizinho Faleiro.

He  attempted to topple the Digambar Kamat led government in 2007. Though his coup failed, Churchill Alemao managed to get his pound of flesh by merging his fledgling outfit into Congress and get a prime ministrial berth as PWD minister.

In 2012, as Congress candidate Churchill was usurped by independent candidate Avertano Furtado in the Navelim constituency.

With TMC

Churchill once again left the Congress and contested Parliamentary polls in 2014 on Trinamool Congress ticket and was again defeated.

In 2016 Churchill’s began his political escapade with the Nationalist Congress Party and won the Benaulim constituency in 2017 Assembly election. 

He was the lone NCP MLA in the Assembly and extended support to BJP government throughout the tenure but wanted alliance with Congress to fight elections, as the Congress party rejected his offer, he joined Trinamool Congress party to fight the 2022 Assembly election.