This news may not come as a surprise to many people from Goa as it was anticipated long time back perhaps the move took little longer though. Generally speaking Babush, the heavyweight politician from Taleigao (presently MLA of St. Cruz constituency) was once presume to be the political arch rival of Parrikar, BJP-led government in Goa, In fact Babush was believed to be responsible for the fall of BJP-led government in the past but who knows the inside story, people only speak in low voices.
But now the tables have turned and enemies seem to have become the friends. The sources are not denying the involvement of the former CM of Goa and current Defence Minister of India Manohar Parrikar into this entire process. The recent news published the local dailies in Goa talks about the induction of Babush Monserrate into the cabinet of BJP-led government in Goa.
“Even as the political circles are abuzz with the possible induction of Atanasio Monserrate, the unattached St Cruz legislator, into the state cabinet, there appears to be a sharp division within the Bharatiya Janata Party on “rewarding” a “traitor” who many leaders feel was responsible for fall of BJP-led government in the past.” (Source: Navhind Times)
But according to the another sources in BJP government, there seems to be no move to induct Babush into the cabinet in near future, not ruling out the possibility of “rewarding” Babush later for his help in retaining the Panaji assembly constituency for the BJP candidate, while the others are against this issue saying that it will only wider the gap in the party in long run. This shows that the party has already divided into two sections one which supports the induction and other may oppose. “We have no immediate plans to make him as a minister,” said the senior party official to the media adding that the party is in process of preparing their legislators for the facilitation of his induction to fill the slot left vacate by the former RDA Minister Mickky Pacheco.
The political analysts feel that there is visible split in the BJP-led government over the induction of Babush into the cabinet as numbers of BJP leaders are against this move they feel that it would be “Suicidal” for the party to induct the “tainted” legislator against whom they had campaigned hard in the past. “The party should not be seen as dependent on forces which had used it in the past and discarded to suit their game plans in the past,” a senior leader said.
According to the political analysts the BJP has a big game plan in their mind behind the induction of Monserrate into the cabinet. According to them “By inducting the St Cruz legislator, the BJP intends to send a message to the MGP which has been flexing its muscles in the recent past that it (BJP) had enough of MGP’s tantrums,” he said adding that the move would also help wean off Monserrate from the third front, which is taking shape. “There appears to be strong opposition to Monserrate from BJP cadres and any move to “reward” him despite being a tainted legislator would demoralize the BJP cadres,” said the analyst adding that BJP will also have tough time to handle the case of Panaji police attack led by the St. Cruz legislator in the past.
The fate of Monseratte is at the moment seems to be hanging in the middle of re induction in BJP-led government and expulsion from the congress party due to his alleged involvement into the campaigning for the BJP candidate Siddharth Kunkalienkar to win the by-election from the Panaji constituency in the recent past. We can only wait and watch this so call big game plan of the politicians. The common man has no say in these issues as their power is limited to exercising their vote. According to the sources another legislator and Dabolim MLA Mauvin Godinho who helped BJP win the South Goa parliamentary seat is also waiting for a ministerial berth.
Written By: Rajesh Ghadge
Sources: TNN & NT
