PANAJI
Panaji’s civic body is set to witness a familiar face at the helm once again, with Rohit Monserrate poised to be re-elected as Mayor of the Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) for a record sixth consecutive one-year term.
Rohit, son of Goa’s Revenue Minister Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate, has already served five unopposed terms as mayor in the previous council. His re-election appears all but certain after the BJP-backed panel he led swept the March 11 civic polls, securing 27 of the 30 wards.
The rival Ami Panjekar panel, supported by Opposition parties and backed by Utpal Parrikar, managed to win only three wards.
Although the date for the first council meeting and the mayoral election has not yet been finalized, senior CCP officials indicated it is likely to take place early next week.
With the mayoral post virtually settled, attention now shifts to the deputy mayor’s chair, where no consensus has yet emerged in the Babush camp.
Party insiders suggest the role may go to a woman councillor, signaling an effort to balance representation within the civic body.
A senior councillor, speaking to The Goan, noted that Rohit’s continuation as mayor is closely tied to his father’s political trajectory.
“Since Babush has already publicly hinted that he will 'become MLA from Tiswadi taluka' Rohit will certainly be the mayor and continue until next year’s assembly election. His replacement will be picked after that by consensus,” the councillor said.
The Monserrate family’s stronghold over Panaji’s civic affairs has been a defining feature of the capital city’s civic politics.
Rohit’s repeated unopposed election as Mayor underscore both his political clout and the BJP’s dominance in the capital’s landscape of civic politics.
Yet, the deputy mayoral decision remains a crucial piece of the puzzle, as it could shape the council’s internal dynamics in the months ahead.
For now, citizens await the formalities of the council’s first meeting, where Rohit Monserrate’s sixth term as mayor is expected to be sealed, further cementing his place in the city’s political lore.
