Express News Service
MUMBAI: Five power couples have thrown in their hat in the Goa Assembly elections due February 14. Vishwajit Rane and his wife Divya Vishwajit Rane have earned BJP’s nomination from Valpoi and Poriem constituencies respectively in north Goa.
Rane is the sitting MLA from Valpoi. The Poriem seat is represented by Congress MLA Pratap Singh Rane, who is the son of Vishwajit Rane and father-in-law of Divya Rane. Atanasio Babush Monserrate and his wife Jennifer, who was revenue minister in the Pramod Sawant government, are contesting from Panaji and Taleigao constituency respectively. Taleigao is the traditional constituency of Monserrate’s family. Babush Monserrate was given the BJP ticket, denying former CM Manohar Parrikar’s son Utpal Parrikar in Goa’s capital, Panaji.
Monserrate was elected to the 2019 Goa state assembly from the Panaji constituency when he left the Congress and joined the BJP. Earlier the Panaji seat was represented for Manohar Parrikar for more than 25 years as an MLA. Interestingly, Babus Monserrate’s son Rohit is also the Mayor of Panaji Municipal Corporation.
Deputy Chief Minister of Goa Chandrakant Kavlekar is contesting from Quepem seat on a BJP ticket while his wife Savitri would fight as an independent after she was denied the BJP ticket from Sanguem. She was vice president of Mahila Morcha of BJP. She resigned and announced her independent candidature from Sanguem.
The TMC has nominated Kiran Kandola from Aldona constituency while his wife Kavita from Tivim constituency. Earlier, the couple was with the Goa Forward Party, which denied them the ticket. So, the Kandola couple joined TMC and are contesting on the TMC symbol.
Another power couple is Michael Lobo. The Congress has nominated him Calangute seat and his wife Delilah Lobo will contest from the Siolim constituency. Mr Lobo was the BJP minister in the Pramod Sawant government in Goa. Lobo’s wife Delilah was denied a ticket by BJP therefore he left the BJP and joined the Congress.
“The BJP always talks about ‘one family one ticket’, but when it came to Goa they forgot their policy and gave the ticket to the power couple. However, denied to Mr Lobo and Utpal Parrikar. No party can survive and win the elections if the dynasty is not helped and promoted. All parties have to forget their principles if they want to win the elections in Goa,” a political observer said.
