Former Goa Minister and leader of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wilfred Mesquita passed away at a hospital in Mumbai on Monday. He was 70 and undergoing treatment at the Mumbai-based PD Hinduja Hospital where he breathed his last around 11 pm on July 8.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, his cabinet colleagues and prominent leaders of the state expressed condolence over Wilfred’s demise. In a tweet, the Chief Minister said,’Deeply saddened by the passing away of Dr. Wilfred Mesquita, former Cabinet Minister of Goa. Dr. Mesquita has served the people and state of Goa in various capacities. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.’
Born at Divar in North Goa district on April 14, 1949, Mesquita graduated from the Goa Medical College in 1970s. He later did specialisation in medicine from a college in Mumbai before taking the plunge into politics.
During his decades long political career, he had a stint in various parties in the coastal state. He was the founder vice president of the then ruling Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (youth wing) in 1974.
He served as the cabinet minister in late 1990s in the then Congress-led state government and held various portfolios like revenue, environment, sports and youth affairs, power, law and judiciary and legislative affairs.
