Panaji: As the state capital prepares for the Corporation of the City of Panaji elections on March 11, revenue minister Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate has made it clear that he intends to tighten his grip on the civic body.Backed by BJP’s organisational strength and with the opposition yet to mount a cohesive challenge, Monserrate appears confident his panel will face no serious threat. The key question is if he can secure a clean sweep across all 30 wards for yet another term. It’s been almost two decades Monserrate has been having a tight grip over the city corporation.Around 32,000 voters will decide the city’s civic leadership. State election commissioner Menino D’Souza has notified the ward reservation roster. Of the 30 wards, 10 are reserved for women, including three for OBC women and one for ST women. Five wards are reserved for OBCs, while 15 remain general seats.Monserrate is expected to project his son Rohit, the current CCP mayor, as the face of the panel. Though the elections are not officially being held on party lines, Monserrate’s panel is widely seen as being backed by BJP.“We have finalised our list. We are ready for the CCP elections. There are a lot of new faces. Formal campaigning will begin as the date approaches, but we were always on the ground. What we achieved in five years, no other party did,” Rohit said.The reservation matrix has disrupted AAP’s strategy. The party, which initially planned to contest independently, found several of its target wards reserved for ST and SC candidates, forcing a recalibration. “The larger picture should be to defeat the current MLAs’ panel. Some of our local leaders are interested in contesting. Overall, there should be a joint citizen panel. The talks are going well,” said state AAP president Valmiki Naik.AAP has also attempted to revive opposition to casinos. While Rohit maintains that the CCP has no role in the matter, the issue could resonate with some voters.Former mayor and current corporator Surendra Furtado, a rival of Monserrate during the present term, is attempting to stitch together a coalition. Discussions are under way on joining hands with Utpal Parrikar, former councillor Menino Da Cruz, and former BJP functionary Dattaprasad Naik. Furtado confirmed he will contest from ward 9, while his son Leonid will stand from ward 7.However, the absence of a cohesive opposition in Panaji and the lack of grassroots machinery among rival parties suggest that the electoral contest remains tilted in Monserrate’s favour.Parrikar has signalled willingness for “tactical adjustments” to execute plans for the capital. “We are thinking of putting up an independent panel. Panaji has certain issues, and if we want to address them, there needs to be change,” he said. He also cautioned against multiple panels splitting votes and said he is seeking issue-based support. Parrikar directed sharp criticism at the Smart City Mission’s implementation, calling it a failure in execution and alleging poor quality of work. He said his priority would be to bring out all data related to smart city works if elected.Parrikar confirmed meetings with Congress leaders to explore forming a single “Together for Panjim” panel to avoid vote-splitting. “However, such an alliance carries political risks, as it could strain his support base among sections of the BJP old guard and the GSB community,” said a source.The campaign is expected to centre on key civic issues that have affected Panaji for years. The Monserrate-backed panel hopes to leverage its record on flood mitigation, public transport improvements and infrastructure development. But critics point to unresolved concerns.The 3.7-km-long St Inez creek remains neglected. Though door-to-door garbage collection has been widely appreciated, the city’s roads continue to suffer from litter. Haphazard parking remains a chronic problem. Also, the rapid rise of spas across the city has raised concerns, with allegations of unsavoury activities being flagged by some residents.
