PANJIM: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday announced a second list of seven candidates for the 2017 Goa Assembly elections.
Addressing the media, AAP Goa media coordinator Rupesh Shinkre said the list was cleared on Wednesday by Arvind Kejriwal and AAP’s Parliamentary Affairs Committee (PAC) in New Delhi. With its second list, AAP has announced candidates in 11 constituencies.
Former MGP leader and teacher, Devendra Prabhu Parsekar Desai will be fielded from Mandrem constituency currently represented by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar. Desai left MGP to join AAP recently and is closely associated with the People for Mopa movement supporting the construction of the Mopa airport. He is president of Pednem Swabhimani and also President of the Goa Handball Academy.
Former Congress MLA Karl Vaz is set to contest from Mormugao constituency, which is currently represented by BJP’s Milind Naik. Vaz was a Congressman from 2002-07, his father John Manuel Vaz was an independent MLA.
In Cortalim, APP will field Olencio John Simoes. The constituency is currently represented by BJP minister Alina Saldanha. Simoes is a fishermen leader and teacher by profession, and is involved in various social movements. He is the joint secretary of the Goencho Ramponkarancho Ekvott (GRE) and also the general secretary of All Goa Fishermen Union (AGFU). He had contested the ZP elections on a BJP ticket.
In Benaulim, AAP has fielded Royla Clarina Fernandes. The constituency is currently held by Goa Vikas Party’s Caetano Silva. Fernandes is an architect by profession and is former member of the Youth Congress. She is the only woman candidate from AAP so far.
Meanwhile, AAP will field Sitaram Gauns, a former BJP Yuva Morcha (BYM) leader from Poriem constituency, which is currently held by Pratapsingh Rane of the Congress.
In Siolim, AAP will have Dr Prithvi Amonkar as it candidate, who is the cousin of Brahmanand, an OBC leader. The constituency is currently represented by BJP minister Dayanand Mandrekar.
In Marcaim, AAP will prop up Surel Tilva, a lawyer by profession and member of the Bandora Youth Club and Animal Rescue Squad. He is also on the advisory committee for voice of students. The constituency is currently represented by MGP minister Ramkrishna (Sudin) Dhavalikar.
“We had a lot of pressure, while on the hunt for selecting the right candidates and we have decided to go by the traditional flow of politics. We are going on the right path and finalizing candidates on the basis of what is told to us by our volunteers, activists and the people,” AAP leader Dr Oscar Rebello said.
