The sweeping victory of the Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate panel, which won 27 of the 30 seats in the recently concluded CCP polls, has come as a disappointment to many Panjimites who were hell-bent on ending the hegemony of the Monserrate panel and preventing the perceived destruction of their beloved Panaji city. Unfortunately, their widespread protests and signature campaign did not bear fruit or translate into votes, ending with a paltry three seats.
Babush, on the other hand, has proved to be Panaji’s stalwart and an almost invincible MLA, improving upon his earlier tally of 25 seats in 2021 to 27 in 2026. Little wonder then that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has reposed immense faith in his minister and sees the present victory as a trailer for the BJP’s performance in the 2027 Assembly polls.
