Kamal Ghorui
Panaji: Revenue minister and Panaji MLA Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate on Friday expressed disappointment at losing in three of 30 wards in the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) elections.Before the elections, he had set a target of winning in all the wards. “I did not expect to lose these three seats. It is really disappointing,” Monserrate said.He thanked the chief minister, the BJP state president and karyakartas for winning the CCP elections. “The MP also campaigned in Panaji, and the voters in Panaji supported us,” Monserrate said.The minister said he felt good that the opposition united for the CCP elections. “So, I knew my enemy. They consider me as their enemy and not the party. As far as the opposition campaign was concerned, the target was my family and me. They had nothing to do with Panaji and Taleigao.”“Casinos have always been an issue in Panaji, but the opposition tried to set the narrative around it and it helped them to win in one ward,” Monserrate said.He said that it was wrong on the part of people to say family raj. “We are not nominated, we are elected. We go to the people and then they elect us. As far as general elections are concerned, people also can elect some other candidates, but they vote and elect us as they believe in us,” Monserrate said.The minister said that all the candidates performed in their respective wards and people elected them again. “I did not treat Rohit Monserrate and other candidates differently. Actually, I did not even visit Rohit’s ward to campaign,” he said.Monserrate said that there was always scope for improvement and that he had to see why some people did not vote for them. The results of these elections have set the tone for the 2027 assembly polls, he said.
