MARGAO: Citing the overwhelming response it had received at its Benaulim public meeting, which was attended by over 1,000 people, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) pointed out that people from all villages of the constituency had come together to give a clear signal that they support a major political change in the constituency as well as Goa.
A day after the meeting, activist Serafin Cotta said that he was impressed with the party’s ideology and message at its Sunday meeting, and that he would extend support to the party. He also hoped that the party would select the right candidates for the 2017 Assembly election.
Serafin clarified that he was not projecting himself as a candidate, but wholeheartedly agreed that it was time for the people to unite and fight for Goa, which was what AAP leaders like Dr Oscar Rebello spoke about in his speech, where he exhorted the people to unite the way they way Goans had done during the Opinion Poll.
Reactions pouring in from the public on Monday were about how AAP had rightly also highlighted local issues, like encouragement to farmers, fisherfolk and tourism stakeholders.
Cruz Cardozo from Benaulim highlighted the issues of the constituency and noted that successive governments have not shown any interest in solving them permanently. Pointing out that most politicians prefer to keep people divided and distracted, he expressed confidence in AAP’s method of bringing people together to discuss and find solutions to their own issues.
Fr Michael Fernandes from Vasco pointed out that protection and upliftment of the weakest in our society is not only the core teachings of holy books, but also enshrined in our Constitution. He stated that so far, he could see only AAP doing justice to the issues of the common man. He also hoped that the launch of AAP’s campaign in Benaulim will lead to a renaissance of clean and people-focussed politics in Goa.
It is to be noted that, at the meeting, the life of late Fr Bismarque Dias and the issues he took up through musical protests was commemorated, while AAP Goa secretary Valmiki Naik led the attendants in a minute’s silence to condole the death of Fr Bismarque.
Additionally, while listing the achievements of the AAP government in Delhi, it is to be noted that AAP national secretary Pankaj Gupta was referring to the recent achievement where the government had inaugurated a flyover project that was tendered by Congress at Rs 250 crore, but brought down to Rs 150 crore by AAP.
