Despite having allegedly poured money during his high-voltage election campaign, Babush Monserrate was able to win Panaji seat by just a mere 716 votes. Even in the Ribandar segment out of the 3077 votes, Monserrate could only get 1426 despite his lavish spending while Utpal got a thousand votes. Of the total 30 booths in Panaji, Utpal led in 13. Monserrate could neither get that massive lead he was targeting in Panaji nor his hope that BJP would pocket all the Tiswadi seats. Babush himself has been complaining bitterly about his big disappointment with the outcome of the result blaming the BJP karyakartas for his pathetic performance. AAP’s Valmiki Naik had publicly declared that he would withdraw if Utpal contested but made a volte-face. Valmiki polled a total of 777 votes and if those had gone to Utpal, to everyone’s relief Babush would have been history. In Taleigao too it was no different with the 2607 votes polled by AAP candidate facilitating the victory of Jennifer Monserrate by 2041 votes over Tony Rodrigues. Politics has to be a mission of serving people. It cannot be a venture to get richer and the lust for power in the name of personal wealth development (PWD).
