PANJIM: Even as Congress MLA Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate has announced his candidature as an Independent from Panjim, the opposition party has invited applications from prospective candidates for the Panjim by-election that is yet to be announced.
The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee has asked interested persons to apply along with their bio-data and a fee of Rs 10,000 to party General Secretary Altinho Gomes latest by December 9.
Sources said that so far not a single candidate has submitted the application before the party, though Panjim Mayor Surendra Furtado is the frontrunner for the ticket. Monserrate, who represents St Cruz in the House, announced his candidature from Panjim even before Manohar Parrikar had submitted his resignation.
Sources said that Furtado, who had lobbied for the Panjim ticket in March 2012 Assembly election, was the first to make an official submission before party president Luizinho Faleiro for the ticket. Interestingly, Furtado is Mayor of Panjim because he is backed by the Monserrate panel in the Corporation of the City of Panaji.
Also in the running for the Congress ticket is former chairperson of Goa State Commission for Women (GSCW) Ezilda Sapeco. Sources said that former Congress candidate Yatin Parekh is also trying his luck. In 2012, Parekh lost by a massive margin to Parrikar.
