Panaji constituency has always remained the major fortress of BJP since Mr. Parrikar first got elected from here in the year 1994, defeating the Congress rival Mr. Keshav Prabhu with 4600 votes. Nobody could manage to shake Mr. Parrikar from Panaji till date. Mr. Parrikar made the claim while addressing the Vijay Sankalp Melava in Panaji city on Wednesday. He stating that ‘People of Panaji will teach a good lesson to Babush’ and claimed that, only the BJP candidate will win Panaji seat that too with at least 5000 margins. Meanwhile, according to the sources, Mr. Babush Moneratte has also thrown a challenge stating that he will win this election with more than 3000 margins. What is their basis for the claims? read here…..
Mr. Babush came into the media following the statement of Mr. Parrikar on Wednesday stating that it is his dream to defeat Mr. Parrikar in the forthcoming election and he wishes that, the center sends Mr. Parrikar to Goa. “I wish I could fight Parrikar. I have a feeling that I would even defeat Parrikar. For me it makes no difference, I am fighting from Panaji. I hope Centre sends Parrikar down to fight the election with me. At least my wish would be completed,” Monserratte told PTI after he announced his intention to align with the Congress for the polls through his newly formed outfit – United Goans Party.
It may be recalled that, when Mr. Parrikar left Goa to join the hands with Mr. Modi in the centre and took over the responsibility of Defence Minister of India, he appointed his colonel to take care of the Panaji seat and BJP won the by-election with the margin of 5368 votes defeating the congress candidate Surendra Furtado, who is said to be the close aid of Mr. Monserrate.
Mr. Monseratte finally formed his own political party and decided to fight the four seats in the forthcoming election. According to him, his party ‘United Goans Party’ will contest the four seats in the forthcoming election and he himself will be contesting from Panaji this time. “It’s my dream to win the election from Panaji defeating Mr. Parrikar and I wish that Centre sends him back to fight an election with me. I have the feeling that I would surely defeat Mr. Parrikar in Panaji,” he said adding that, he also intend to align his newly formed outfit with the Congress for the polls.
Mr. Parrikar remained an undisputed candidate for Panaji seat from 1994 till 2014 and he left to center to take over the responsibility of Defence Minister on the request of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Winning the Panaji seat is not an easy task for anybody and here Mr. Moseratte has put forward his challenge saying that “As far as I am concerned, I am here to fight this election from Panaji constituency. I assure you, I will win this election by more than 3,000 votes.”
According to the sources, Mr. Monseratte had expelled from the Congress after his alleged involvement in the anti-party activity during the by-elections in Panaji constituency which was lost by the congress candidate Surendra Furtado and retained by BJP though their candidate Mr. Siddharth Kuncolienkar. Stating that Panaji has always been considered as Parrikar’s bastion, Monserratte alleged that the constituency has not seen any development during the last 25 years.
Mr. Monserratte, whose wife is a Congress MLA from Taleigao constituency, said he had proved his mettle in Panaji when the panel fielded by him won three elections of the civic body Corporation of the City of Panaji. “It clearly shows that people are unhappy the way BJP is functioning. I believe the Corporation, as well as Panaji MLA, should work hand in hand,” he said. The legislator said the state polls would be fought on development issues. “This fight is about development, it is about people. It is the people who have got you elected,” he said.
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