Team Herald
PANJIM: Former Panjim Mayor and Congressman Surendra Furtado is likely to face suspension from the party for contesting the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) elections in support of the party’s former rebel and unattached MLA Atanasio Monserrate panel. The decision in this regard will be taken only after the council elections to be held on March 6.
The Congress is expected to announce a secular panel on Thursday. The party on Tuesday morning shortlisted 20 candidates, mostly new faces for the elections.
Furtado, a long-standing CCP councilor and close aid of Monserrate, is contesting from ward 10 on the Monserrate panel along with his wife Ruth in ward No 9. Furtado, the Congress leader, had been the Congress nominee for the Panjim by-polls held in February last year. On the other hand, the MLA was sacked from the party for his anti-party activities and growing closeness to the ruling BJP.
“Furtado may face suspension as his support to the Monserrate panel is in violation of the Congress executive committee resolution. Furtado’s move is anti-party. However, the decision will be taken only after the election,” Congress MLA and party’s CCP election campaign in-charge Pandurang Madkaikar told Herald.
The decision to suspend Furtado has been kept on hold, considering that the Congress leader has been known for switching over in favour of power, in the past. Hence, if Congress manages to win 14 to 15 seats, the party believes that Furtado may switch sides.
