Team Herald
PANJIM: Unattached MLA Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, who was expelled from the Congress two years ago, resigned his membership of the Legislative Assembly and joined the United Goans Party on Friday.
He will be contesting the February 4 elections from Panjim as a UG candidate, where his opponents will be BJP’s sitting MLA Siddhart Kuncolienkar and AAP’s Valmiki Naik.
Along with Monserrate, Sancoale Sarpanch Ramakant Borkar, who was booked on charges of corruption by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB), also joined UG and will be the party candidate in Cortalim.
Speaking to media persons after joining the party, Monserrate confirmed the party’s alliance with Congress, and said there will be a ‘friendly fight’ between the two in Cortalim.
“Congress has proposed that we should also field a candidate in Cortalim. Whoever wins, will be our alliance candidate,” he said adding that Congress will support him in Panjim.
Congress has fielded Gilbert Mariano Rodrigues at Cortalim. “The alliance is also going to happen between Congress and Goa Forward. The alliance is need of the hour,” he added.
“In Panjim it is going to be straight fight between me and BJP for development. BJP ruled Panjim for 25 years but has done nothing,” he said adding ‘there is strong anti-BJP wave’.
Monserrate has assured to shift offshore casinos out of River Mandovi within six months of getting elected. “I assure you to do this,” he stated.
The St Cruz MLA was expelled by Congress in 2015 for anti-party activities.
His wife Jennifer is Congress Taleigao MLA and will be the party candidate in the elections next month.
With Monserrate’s resignation, the strength of the Legislative Assembly has been reduced to 35 as Congress MLAs Pandurang Madkaikar and Mauvin Godinho, Goa Vikas Party MLA Francisco (Mickky) Pacheco and independent MLA Naresh Sawal have resigned in the run up to the polls.
