Babush is UGDP candidate, not Cong or Independent: Returning Officer

Panaji, May 16 (UNI) Former Minister Atanasio (Babush) Monerrate has been declared as the official candidate of United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) for Taleigao in the June 2 elections to the Goa Legislative Assembly.

Taleigao Returning Officer, Ms Garima Gupta, told UNI that Babush preferred to contest on a UGDP ticket to Congress, whose primary membership he had resigned yesterday. ''With this, his nomination as an independent candidate also stands invalid,'' she said after the scrutiny of nominations today.

She said Mr Monerrate had produced necesary documents including UGDP membership certificate at 1500 hrs yesterday to substantiate his preference while contesting from Taleigao.

The issue came up before the Returning Officer, after independent candidate Somnatth Zuarkar contested Babush's nomination as the candidate of Congress, UGDP and also as an independent for the same constituency.

After hearing arguments put forth by respective counsels, Ms Gupta rejected Zuarkar's plea and Babush opted to contest on UGDP ticket.

Yesterday was the last date of filing nomintions and May 18 is the last date for withdrawal.

Meanwhile, the GPCC had reviewed the situation arising out of stalemate following Babush's resignation that prevented the party from fielding alternative candidate in Taleigao.

''This is probably a unique case of its nature in the history of elections in India and we may challenge his election in the Supreme Court and also the Election Commission of India after the election is over,'' AICC Secretary and MP Shantaram Naik told mediapersons at Congress headquarters.

He said he would personally send a note to the CEC and the Union ministry of Law seeking election reforms to tackle such piquant situations wherein political parties are left helpless.

He would seek amendments to the Representation of Peoples' Act to prevent recurrence of such disgraceful incidents. ''We are saddened that our own candidate did it,'' he said.

Replying to another question, he said Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane had to campaign in favour of the party candidate and also NCP alliance candidates in all the 33 constituencies.

This includes Valpoi, where his son Viswajit Rane is contesting as an indepdndent candidate after resigning from the primary membership of the Congress yesterday, he said.

Highly placed sources told UNI that the GPCC had conveyed this to party high command in New Delhi and sought appropriate action to remedy the situation so that others may not adopt such dirty tricks against the party.

UNI