After Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate joined Goa Forward earlier this week, Congress in Goa is not only facing tough time over selection of candidate for bypoll in Panjim, but also facing threats in three constituencies, including Taleigao, St Cruz and St Andre where Congress’s candidates was elected with support of Babush.
The political speculations indicate that Monserrate is going to affect in a big way Congress in Tiswadi taluka where he has already three of his candidates of Congress party, including his wife Jennifer Monserrate in Taleigao constituency.
Antonio (Tony) Fenrnades, St Cruz MLA and Francis Silveira, St Andre MLA are Monserrate’s men. Tony is on record that Babush is his boss and he will resign the party the day he will be told to do.
However, he maintained that there is no communication from Babush till now on the present development. He said he was not even contacted by Babush and no correspondence as such in regards to anything, after or before Babush joining Goa Forward party.
But, sources close to Babush have confirmed that he wants to contest from St Cruz constituency keeping his wife Jennifer in Taleigao with Congress.
Sources have said that Tony will be asked to resign as MLA and Babush will contest from St Cruz.
Sources also said that the situation doesn’t arise for Jennifer to resign and unnecessary go in for election again. Babush will obviously take a call on St Andre and Taleigao in the general election of 2022, sources added.
Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) mandal in both Taleigao as well as St Cruz has not reacted to the recent political situation. However, Dattaprasad Naik, chief of Taleigao BJP mandal said that joining any party is an own wish of any individual. “I won’t say anything more than this, BJP is very strong in Taleigao and we have made it”, he said.
