Cong MP fans stir against Goa airport

The recent cash-for-query scandal is set to have a bearing on the proposed greenfield international airport in Goa.

A Congress MP, who was expelled from Parliament for his involvement in the scam, has taken it upon himself to mobilise people against the project. The airport has been proposed at Mopa in north Goa.

Out of Parliament, he is eager to contest the Goa Assembly elections next year, but is unlikely to get a party ticket, according to Congress leaders in Goa.

Former Goa Chief Minister Churchill Alemao, who represented Mormugao seat in the House, has intensified the agitation against the airport project. He has been organising demonstrations in south Goa against the project.

"Alemao is trying to instigate people and build a movement for political gains. This will put the party in a tricky situation. You cannot support his cause, nor can ignore him if he manages to turn these sporadic protests into a public movement.

"It is also embarrassing for the Congress as the Manmohan Singh government is eager to go ahead with the project," said a Congress leader.

The agitation has also put Pratap Singh Rane government in a tight spot as it has to take a view on the issue sooner or later. Former Goa Chief Minister Ravi Naik, who has been camping in New Delhi to apprise Congress chief Sonia Gandhi of the political developments in the state, can take up the airport issue with her.

"I will seek the Congress chief's intervention. The party has to persuade Alemao to stop his agitation programme," he told Business Standard.

Alemao has been arguing that the greenfield airport in (north) Goa will cause closure of the airport in Dabolin. He is said to have the support of hoteliers from south Goa.

Congress leaders in New Delhi said if the agitation over the greenfield airport blew up, only the party leadership would be responsible for it because there has been no attempt to rein in Alemao.

"There is no reason for an airport at Mopa. Our airport in Dabolin is so beautiful. People are not interested in the new airport. I am not going to allow this Mopa airport to happen," Alemao told Business Standard on phone from Goa.