PANAJI
Revenue Minister, Atanasio Babush Monserrate, who represents Panaji in the Goa legislative assembly, on Wednesday has thrown a challenge at Utpal Parrikar, son of former chief minister Manohar Parrikar, to contest the next 2027 assembly polls against him.
“Tell Utpal to meet me for the 2027 polls,” Monserrate said when media persons asked him to respond to the allegations of Parrikar Jr, who earlier last week had called the Panaji MLA “corrupt, incompetent and indifferent to Panaji people’s problems” in the context of the chaos unleashed by the ongoing work on ‘Smart City’ projects.
“I am not here to answer to any Tom, Dick, and Harry,” Monserrate said in reference to Utpal’s comments.
“What has the MLA of Panaji for 25 years before me done?,” Monserrate further asked in an oblique and indirect reference to Utpal’s late father Manohar Parrikar but without naming him.
Parrikar had represented Panaji since 1994 barring the three years in which he moved to Delhi as Union Defence Minister.
On the eve of the 2022 Assembly elections, Utpal had quit the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over denial of the Panaji ticket to him after retaining Monserrate who was the sitting MLA.
He went on to contest as an Independent and eventually finished runner-up to Monserrate losing by a margin of around 800 votes.
‘Will ensure Smart City works are completed by May 31’
PANAJI: Minister and Panaji MLA Babush Monserrate on Wednesday said that he will personally ensure that all Smart City works are completed by May 31. “I will be personally monitoring the works on day to day basis,” he said. He was speaking to media after the review meeting called by the Chief Minister regarding Smart City works.
