Congress to welcome tainted legislator into party
By IANSMonday, June 21, 2010
PANAJI - The Goa Congress is all set to welcome in its fold a legislator accused of beating up Youth Congress workers, who were staging a rally here in support of an IT project in the state, endorsed by party president Sonia Gandhi, a few years ago.
Speaking to reporters outside his official residence, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said that the party would welcome education minister and unattached legislator from the United Goans Democratic Party (UGDP) Atanasio Monserrate into the party fold “unconditionally”.
“The entry is unconditional and there will be no portfolio reshuffle,” Kamat told reporters, adding that Monserrate’s entry into the party had been decided in consultation with the Congress high command a “long time back”.
“I will be joining the Congress in a few hours,” Monserrate told reporters, adding that he would be filling up the party’s membership papers soon.
Monserrate has a string of criminal cases against him, which include extortion and assault.
In 2008, Monserrate along with his henchmen had been accused of mercilessly assaulting Youth Congress workers in his Taleigao constituency, while they were peacefully demanding the setting up of the Rajiv Gandhi Information Technology (IT) habitat in Dona Paula, on the outskirts of the capital.
The IT project, which was personally endorsed by Gandhi, was being opposed by Monserrate, in whose constituency the project was envisaged.
In the same year, the education minister had also led a mob and attacked the Panaji police station in which several policemen were injured and women police constables were molested. The incident is currently being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Monserrate, who has already been chargesheeted in another case for extortion which was filed by a local businessman, has also been accused of forging his education certificate to show that he had completed his matriculation, when in fact the minister had quit school while studying in class 8.
The impending entry of Monserrate into the Congress takes the party’s tally in the 40 member legislative assembly to 19. The Congress is currently heading a coalition government partnered by the Nationalist Congress Party, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party and one independent legislator.
