Monserrate brought down the government By Pamela Raghunath, Correspondent .... Gulf News Friday 11th 2005 Panaji : Like in the past, Goa politicians have once again brought instability to the state. Four legislators left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to bring down the Manohar Parrikar government but it is one among them who was responsible for this shabby state of affairs. Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate certainly wields enormous clout considering he is a first-time legislator from Taleigao. He became a part of the Parrikar government to take over the money-spinning Town and Country planning portfolio. But as he became too big for his boots and other BJP MLAs complained, Parrikar was pressurised to strip him of this department, thus stirring up a hornet's nest. The next thing he did was to get three other MLAs to withdraw their support to the BJP government and bring about its fall of course, all with the blessings of the state Congress party. Lavish lifestyle All this was done by a man who wanted to enter politics in 2002 by seeking a Congress ticket which was not given. So he contested the state assembly elections on a United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) ticket and won. He backed the Parrikar coalition which was in a minority and then joined the BJP. He further helped the BJP by getting Isidore Fernandes to leave the Congress and got him re- elected from Poinguinim with his own resources to shore up the Parrikar coalition. But the snub from Parrikar, who accused him of taking illegal decisions, made Monserrate seek revenge by asking not just Fernandes but also two others to resign from the BJP. The BJP accused of being hand in glove with the Congress all the time but the fact remains that he was the one that put up the BJP government and brought it down. Since then, most of the Congress meetings were being held in his house. Goans in the lower income group look up to him with admiration as he has often helped local needy people, given generous donations and sponsoring sporting events or parties when the youth have approached him. It has been reported that he made his wealth by lending money at high interest rates especially to builders during the real estate boom. Many builders have filed complaints against him for extortion and issuing threats. He makes no bones about leading a lavish lifestyle and as minister he is said to have been flying ahead with his lucrative portfolio till Parrikar dropped him. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Help save the life of a child. Support St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's 'Thanks & Giving.' http://us.click.yahoo.com/mGEjbB/5WnJAA/E2hLAA/0FHolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> http://www.goa-world.com http://www.live365.com/stations/61664 Live Konkani Music http://www.mahableshwar.com/ Addresses: Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner: [EMAIL PROTECTED] URL to this page: http://www.yahoogroups.com/group/gulf-goans Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gulf-goans/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
