Goa Congress Bypoll Candidate Denies BJP Claim That He Wanted Ticket

The BJP on Sunday claimed the Congress Panaji Assembly bypoll candidate Atanasio Monserrate had approached them for a ticket, a charge denied by him.

BJP Goa chief Vinay Tendulkar told a press conference on Sunday that Mr Monserrate was aspiring to contest upcoming Panaji by-election on a BJP ticket and he had even visited the party office for the same, adding that his request was turned down by the ruling party.

The Panaji bypoll will take place on May 19. "Monserrate decided to contest on a Congress ticket after we denied him our candidature. He had come to our office asking for a ticket, and we refused his request," Mr Tendulkar said.

He claimed Mr Monserrate had termed Congress a "scrap party" while asking for a BJP ticket. 

Minutes after the press conference by Mr Tendulkar, Atanasio Monserrate said the former's claims were false. 

"I never wanted a BJP ticket. In fact, the BJP had asked me not to contest on a Congress ticket from Panaji," Mr Monserrate said.

He, however, admitted that he had visited the BJP office and met its state organisational secretary Satish Dhond.

"There is nothing for me to hide. Yes I visited BJP office and met Satish Dhond. I had met him to tell him that I was resigning from Goa Forward Party and joining the Congress to contest Panaji bypoll. I never asked or wanted a BJP ticket," he said.