Team Herald
PANJIM: In a major revelation, BJP State president Vinay Tendulkar on Sunday claimed that Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate had approached his party for a ticket from Panjim for upcoming by-election but opted to contest on Congress ticket after ruling party denied to entertain.
Monserrate, former Goa Forward Party (GFP) leader, is Congress candidate for Panjim by-election scheduled on May 19. BJP has fielded its two-time MLA Sidharth Kuncalienker.
Addressing media persons, Tendulkar said that Babush had approached BJP soon after Election Commission of India (ECI) announced Panjim by-elections.
“If Babush is so confident about forming Congress government on May 24, my only question to him is why did he come to BJP office asking for the ticket for Panjim by-election? He told me that Congress is a party of scrap. When we denied him a ticket, he went and joined the same scrap,” Tendulkar stated.
Responding to a question as why did the BJP denied ticket to Monserrate, Tendulkar said, “We had not open shop to sell ticket…we had our candidate and there was no need for us to import any candidate”.
The BJP president said that Monserrate is confident about his defeat and that was the reason why he had approached us first for the ticket. “My only request to Babush is that he should stop day-dreaming. There is no possibility of Congress forming government after May 23 results,” he said.
“BJP will win these elections with a score of 6 against zero (Congress),” he said referring to two Lok Sabha seats and four by-elections in Mandrem, Shiroda, Mapusa and Panjim.
Monserrate, who was sacked from the Congress in the past over anti-party activities, joined the party back on April 18, after resigning as vice president and member of GFP.
Tendulkar said the NDA will form the government at the Centre under Narendra Modi’s leadership by winning over 300 parliamentary seats.
BJP sitting MP and South Goa candidate Narendra Sawaikar said, “Congress will never get elected to form government in Goa or at the Centre”.
“Congress will never get elected to form government. The voters are aware about it and hence have voted wisely,” he said.
