PANJIM: Denying that he had demanded BJP ticket to contest Panjim by-election, Congress candidate Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate said that the saffron party requested him not to contest on Congress ticket.
Speaking to media persons during his door-to-door campaign in Panjim, Monserrate admitted that he had visited BJP office and met its organisational secretary Satish Dhond.
“There is nothing for me to hide. Yes I visited BJP office and met Satish Dhond, with whom I had a long good relation. I had met him to tell that I am resigning from Goa Forward Party and joining Congress to contest Panjim by-election,” he said. “They (BJP) asked me not to contest on Congress ticket,” the former minister added. Monserrate informed that during his visit to BJP office he did not met party president Vinay Tendulkar and hence there is no question of asking for the ticket.
“I did not meet Vinay Tendulkar or anyone who was present at the press conference on Sunday to claim that I demanded ticket,” Monserrate said referring to Tendulkar’s claim that the former had demanded BJP ticket to contest the by-poll and that on denial, he joined Congress.
“I never wanted BJP ticket,” he commented.
Tendulkar was speaking in presence of its South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar, general secretary Sadanand Tanawade and spokesperson Damodar Naik.
