ECI intimated of vacancy in Panaji post Parrikar’s demise

PANAJI: The Goa Electoral Office has intimated the Election Commission of India (ECI) about the demise of Panaji MLA Manohar Parrikar.

Additional chief electoral officer Narayan Sawant informed that the Election Commission of India has to now take a call on the same to hold the Panaji bypoll.

It may be recalled, the ECI has already announced that the official notification would be issued on March 28 for Lok Sabha election as well as 3 assembly bypolls in Goa.

Polling for these elections would be held on April 23.

Meanwhile, Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monseratte, who is a member of the Goa Forward Party, told this daily that he is keen on contesting the Panaji bypoll.

“I have spoken about it to my party president Vijai Sardesai,” he informed, pointing out that Sardesai now has to hold talks with the Bharatiya Janata Party leaders to seek the BJP support for him in Panaji constituency.

The GFP is the alliance partner of the BJP-led state government. Incidentally, BJP is representing the Panaji constituency in the state legislative assembly since 1994, and the BJP candidate had defeated Monseratte at the 2017 assembly election.

Former city mayor Surendra Furtado maintained that he will contest the Panaji bypoll on Congress candidature. “I have already started my media campaign in the constituency two months back,” he added.

However, when asked if he has been assured the candidature by the Congress high command, Furtado said that he is confident about being fielded as the Congress candidate in the capital city, and would apply for candidature, once the applications are invited.