PANJIM: With the rape case filed against him, Babush Monserrate, the raja of Taleigao politics stares at a long road ahead. He has pulled himself out of trenches he has fallen into in the past, but this could be a pretty deep one.
Firstly Manohar Parrikar isn’t with him. Even though the two politicians were from different parties the chemistry between them was excellent and beyond anyone’s understanding. But lately it appears that the two have drifted apart. This case could make the distance grow.
In the last 24 hours it is only the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP), that he plans to take over for the next polls, that has spoken in his favour. The UGDP says the case is a political controversy – a political witch hunt. However, UGDP support means little as the party carries no weight in Goan politics. The Congress, on whose ticket Babush got elected, has distanced itself from the controversy.
Apart from UGDP the only other party close to Monserrate – the newly-formed Goa Forward – which had extended support to the Taleigao and St Cruz politician during the just-concluded Corporation of City of Panjim elections, refused to be drawn into the issue when called upon.
The only politician speaking in Monserrate’s favour was Nuvem MLA Francisco (Mickky) Pacheco who said the case appears to be a political conspiracy. “This is election year and anybody can file a complaint. It can also be blackmail, I don’t know. But you need to understand the police are probing the case and let them finish the investigation only then we will know the truth,” he said.
Monserrate has himself claimed that no government could be formed in 2017 without his support but considering the situation today it seems to be test for survival for the politician himself.
