If rumour is to be believed, Babush is keen on building his base in the South for UGDP and is in the taluka meeting prospective candidates. Rodrigues was allegedly also offered a chance to join the regional party and questions were raised about who Congress would replace Rodrigues with. Sources stated that Babush met others from Velim as well.
However, the Congress and Rodrigues have shot down the rumour.
Rodrigues confirmed that Babush was in Velim, but played it down as a personal visit. He asserted that he had no intention of leaving the Congress and that he was a loyal party member. He recalled the large meeting in the constituency in 2014 with GPCC president Luizinho Faleiro and how his priority had been with Congress. He attributed the rumours to his rivals playing mischief.
“The question of me joining any other party does not arise. I am very much with the Congress and am a loyal party worker,” said Felipe, who added that one should not pay attention to such rumours. Meanwhile, refuting the speculation about Felipe’s exit, AICC general secretary Girish Chodankar stated, “As far as we are concerned, Felipe Neri is a Congressman. We do not know anything else. Velim is still a Congress constituency. The final decision of the ticket is yet to be taken.”
