The current status of 16 Goa MLAs who quit the Congress in the last five years

Ahead of the current Goa polls, the Congress had made its MLAs take anti-defection oaths

After the 2017 mishap, when Congress could not form a government in Goa despite winning 17 seats due to defections of MLAs, the party this time made its MLAs take anti-defection oaths before the Assembly polls. The MLAs were also moved to a plush resort on Tuesday, ahead of counting day. In the last five years, a total of 16 MLAs resigned from the Congress. Here’s a look at where they are now:

Vishwajit Rane, the son of Goa’s former Chief Minister and Congress veteran Pratapsingh Rane, had resigned from the Congress post the 2017 Goa polls to join the Bharatiya Janata Party. Mr. Rane was given the health portfolio in the ruling BJP’s Cabinet and is now contesting for the party from the Valpoi constituency, a bastion of the Rane family. Early trends showed Mr. Rane securing a comfortable lead in his constituency.

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Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monsrrate, the politician reportedly known to have set up the defection of 10 Congress MLAs, including himself to the BJP in 2019, is currently contesting for the BJP from Panaji, against Utpal Parrikar, the son of former Goa CM and late BJP leader Manohar Parrikar. Described as a strongman in Goa politics, Mr. Monserrate had an identical incident of defection in 2005, when he, along with two other MLAs had resigned from Manohar Parrikar’s cabinet, which brought the BJP government down. Mr. Monserrate is currently leading in Panaji as per trends, while Utpal Parrikar trails.

Jennifer Monserrate, the wife of Atanasio Monserrate, had also resigned from the Congress in 2019 to join the BJP and was made the Revenue and IT Minister in the Pramod Sawant Cabinet. Two-term winner for the Congress from the Taleigao constituency, she is currently leading in the constituency on a BJP ticket, as per early trends.

Luizhino Faleiro, a former two-term Goa CM and Congress stalwart known for making formation of governments possible for the Congress in multiple northeastern states, had quit the party in 2021 to join the Trinamool Congress (TMC), over the Congress's failure to form the government in 2017. Initially, he was supposed to contest for the TMC from the Fatorda constituency but the party decided in January that his ticket would be given to legal activist Seoula Vas, as part of the party’s women empowerment policy.

Alexio Laurenco, who had won two-terms in the Curtorim constituency, quit the party in 2021 to Join the TMC. Interestingly, he quit the TMC soon after to contest the current Assembly polls as an independent candidate from Curtorim, where he is now leading as per trends.