By: Y Bala Murali Krishna

Panaji, Apr 26 (UNI) Even as the Congress is yet to announce its official candidates for the upcoming June 2 elections to the Goa Legislative Assembly, Santa Cruz constituency is witnessing a ''battle royale'' between two women of different generations, reflecting the bitter internecine party rivalries.

All this began with the Deputy Speaker and the 68-year-old lone woman member of the House Victoria Fernandes and quite younger and political novice North Goa Zilla Parishad chairperson Jennifer Monserrate seeking party tickets for the constituency.

Soft spoken and noted social worker, Ms Fernandes has been holding the constituency for the third term and trying to contest again on the plank of her rich contribuition to the development of the area.

As the only woman member in the 40-member House, she has been fighting a lone battle for the cause of women, including reservation in the Assembly.

On the other hand, Ms Monserrate, throwing her weight in the constituency, has sought the party ticket from the constituency.

With this, she is throwing an open challenge to Ms Fernandes with the backing of her husband Atanasio Monserrate (Babush).

Ms Fernandes showed her strength by leading a massive procession of her supporters to the Congress House, when she sought her renomination from the constituency, abutting Taleigao represented by Babush.

Her supporters had even gheraoed GPCC president Ravi Naik, seeking an unqualified assurance that Ms Fernandes be renominated.

They were pacified when the latter said the decision lay with the party high command.

As many as 168 aspirants, including the Ministers and sitting legislators, were among the ticket seekers, whose list had been shortlisted and sent to the party high command the other day by Mr Naik and Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane for finalisation of the party high command in Delhi.

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