Monserrate, 11 others file nominations

Panaji, May 12 (UNI) Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate, who is in the eye of storm for threatening to quit Congress if his wife Jennifer was denied party ticket for neighbouring Santa Cruz constituency, has filed his papers today for Taleigao constituency for the June 2 elections to the Goa Legislative Assembly.

Mr Monserrate is among the 12 candidates who filed their papers on the fifth days of filing of papers for the 40-member House. With this, the total number of nominations has gone up to 55 so far.

The last day of filing nominations is May 15.

Mr Monserrate had resigned as town and country planning minister owning responsibility for the controversial Regional Plan-2011, which was later scrapped in toto following the public outcry.

He had played a significant role in the downfall of BJP regime headed by Manohar Parrikar in 2004 as he along with four other ministers resigned.

Interestingly, neither the party high command in Delhi nor the GPCC leadership had officially released the list of 12 candidates for the polls and yet he filed his papers.

AICC general secretary in-charge of Goa desk Margret Alva met him here last evening, following which he decided not to quit the party even as the fate of his wife hangs in balance as he resigned as North Goa Zilla Parishad chairperson.

Prominent among those who filed their nominations today included sitting Congress legislator Chandrakant Kavlekr (Quepem), Anil Goble (BJP-St Cruz), Vasudev Parab (BJP-Poriem), Rajendra Rane (MGP-Poriem), Naresh Shiggaonkar (CPI-Sanvordem) and six independents.

Significantly, Trajano D'Mello (Independent), filed his nomination papers from Saligao to fight NCP president and deputy chief minister Dr Wilfred D'Souza for whom he worked as personal assistant when the latter was Chief Minister.

UNI