With this it has announced 25 names and has just 15 more candidates to finalise. The party has said it would contest all 40 seats.
The four names announced on Tuesday are of Anti-Mopa airport activist Siddharth Karapurkar who will be contesting from Navelim constituency which is currently represented by BJP-backed Independent MLA Avertano Furtado who is a minister in the Laxmiknat Parsekar government.
Journalist Pradeep Padgaonkar who was associated with a local TV channel will contest from Saligao constituency on the AAP ticket and will most likely face Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar, who has won thrice from the constituency.
Former Quepem Municipal Council chairperson Manuel Colaco will be the AAP candidate from Quepem constituency which is currently represented by Congress MLA Chandrakant Kavlekar.
AAP also announced the candidature of social activist Prakash Naik from Cumbharjua constituency, which is currently represented by Congress MLA Pandurang Madkaikar.
Quepem candidate Colaco told Herald that he happy that AAP selected him to contest from Quepem. Manuel Colaco has been on the political scene of Quepem since 1977 and has won the last 6 Council elections of QMC.
In 2012, Colaco contested from Quepem as an Independent and polled 4300. This time he hopes to win the election with the AAP backing. He said that AAP would damage both Congress and BJP.
Colaco had been with the Congress for the last 20 years, but quit the party in 2012 alleging that the party failed to create employment for Quepem youth.
“Generally Quepem swings on money power, but this time I expect and urge the people to think beyond money and vote,” he said.
Meanwhile, AAP’s Navelim candidate Karapurkar said that “The people of Pernem have been cheated regarding Mopa. On Mopa the decision will be taken in best interest of people.”
Karapurkar has been active in Navelim fighting for protection of agricultural lands; opposing RP2021, Nuvem bypass land filling and several other issues.
