AERIAL VIEW
Since the nineties, Congress has failed to win the Panaji seat. This time, they have fielded former GCS officer promoted to IAS Elvis Gomes, former convenor of Aam Admi Party since 2017.
But while the BJP and the Congress have named their candidates, it has been a major controversial decision to select the candidates.
The BJP has come under severe criticism for nominating “tainted” Babush Monseratte overlooking an educated former Chief Minister’s son Utpal Parrikar.
Utpal has been claiming for the ticket and has now resigned from the BJP and has now decided to contest independent, which does not augur well for the BJP as he enjoys the support of Parrikar loyalists in Panaji.
SURAJ NANDREKAR
Editor, Goemakrponn
Panaji, the State’s capital city, was formerly represented by the former Defence Minister of the Country and the chief minister, late Manohar Parrikar.
After Parrikar, his bete noire Babush Monseratte won the seat by a thin margin against Siddharth Kuncoliencar in 2019 on a Congress ticket. Babush will take another shot at the Panaji seat in the ensuing polls fighting on a BJP ticket.
Since the nineties, Congress has failed to win the Panaji seat. This time, they have fielded former GCS officer promoted to IAS Elvis Gomes, who was also the convenor of Aam Admi Party since 2017.
But while the BJP and the Congress have named their candidates, it has been a major controversial decision to select the candidates.
The BJP has come under severe criticism for nominating “tainted” Babush Monseratte overlooking an educated former Chief Minister’s son Utpal Parrikar.
Utpal has been claiming for the ticket and has now resigned from the BJP and has now decided to contest independent, which does not augur well for the BJP as he enjoys the support of Parrikar loyalists in Panaji.
Utpal’s bone of contention is that he is ready to support any “clean” candidate in Panaji fielded by BJP, but he does not want a “tainted” Babush Monseratte, who faces several criminal charges.
This clearly shows the BJP is totally divided between Babush and Utpal in Panaji.
However, unsurprisingly, Congress is hell-bent on giving away its advantage in the capital constituency.
Former Panaji Mayor Uday Madkaikar, a former friend of Babush Monseratte, joined Congress and started work as he was expecting a ticket. Moreover, as if Congress has a dearth of candidates, it has imported the former AAP convenor Elvis Gomes from Cuncolim.
Madkaikar has accused Congress of conniving with the BJP and selling the Panaji seat.
Madkaikar may not be totally wrong. Why would Congress give away its advantage in Panaji over BJP? What is the reason? Did Congress deliberately field a weak candidate in Panaji to give a safe passage to Monseratte? What base does Elvis Gomes have in Panaji?
The Congress leader Digambar Kamat tried hard to rope in the Mining Magnet Dinar Tarcar and contest from Panaji, but he declined to contest, sources said.
Apart from Tarcar, Congress had many leaders like Yatin Parekh, who had previously contested from Panaji but were all overlooked.
During the last 2017 by-polls, Congress also fielded an outsider candidate in Girish Chodankar.
Manohar Parrikar won the by-election in Panaji by 4803 votes. Parrikar received 9862 votes, whereas the Congress candidate Girish Chodankar got 5059 votes.
It is still shocking why the Congress fielded Gomes this time, who lost in his own constituency of Cuncolim in 2017.
In Cuncolim, Gomes was fourth with 3437 votes behind Clafasio Dias, Joaquim Alemao and Rajan Naik. Clafasio Dias had won on Congress ticket with 6415 votes.
Now, knowing Babush’ capabilities to win elections and Congress’ nonchalant attitude, one may find the current MLA sail through.