Panjim: According to multiple sources, Goan politician Jennifer Monserrate passed away at 56 this evening. The MLA and former state cabinet minister succumbed to a prolonged illness, with no possibility of foul play.
Goa Politics Latest News: Goa BJP MLA and Former Minister Passes Away at 56
This evening, Jennifer Monserrate who was a prominent face in Goa’s politics tragically passed away. At the time of her death, Monserrate was a sitting MLA from the Taleigao assembly constituency.
Pramod Sawant, who is the current chief minister of Goa expressed his grief via a post on microblogging platform X (formerly Twiter). “Deeply pained by the sad demise of Smt Jennifer Monserrate ji, MLA of Taleigao and former cabinet minister,” Sawant said. He then added that My heartfelt condolences to the family, and her countless well-wishers in this hour of grief. May her soul rest in eternal peace”.
Sawant also stated that Monserrate always served her assembly as well as with compassion and dedication. Her death will likely trigger a by-election in the Taleigao assembly constituency of North Goa, which now stands vacant.
Jennifer Monserrate: Cause of Death
An official cause of death has not been disclosed by either the Monserrate family or the BJP. However, she passed away after battling a prolonged illness, which is believed to be cancer. Insiders have suggested that the lawmaker had been battling the disease for several months and spent her final days in a hospital.
Jennifer Monserrate: Husband
Jennifer Monserrate was married to fellow politician Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate, who currently serves as the revenue minister in CM Sawant’s current cabinet. The couple share a son, Rohit Monserrate who is the mayor of Panjim, Goa’s state capital.
Jennifer Monserrate: Net Worth
According to her last official affidavit from the 2022 assembly elections of Goa, Jennifer Monserrate had a total net worth of approximately ₹42 crore. While her tax return revealed that she had a personal annual income of approximately ₹25.2 lakh, with a total combined household income tracking closer to ₹38.7 lakh.
This means that Jennifer along with her husband, Goa Cabinet Minister Atanasio “Babush” Monserrate, ranked among the top five wealthiest political families in Goa.
Jennifer Monserrate: Career
As a politician, Jennifer Monserrate enjoyed an illustrious career. She was a prominent, three-term Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) in Goa and a former state cabinet minister who represented the Taleigao constituency for over a decade.
While Monserrat entered politics through the Congress party, she was among the 10 Congress MLAs that defected to the BJP in 2019. And from 2019 to 2022, she was the sole female minister in CM Sawant’s cabinet, handling the portfolios of revenue, IT and Labour and Employment. Although she was an active MLA, health issues forced Monserrate to step back from politics.
Jennifer Monserrate: Age
Jennifer Monserrate was born on March 24th, 1970. She was 56 years old at the time of her death.
