PANJIM: AAP on Friday, swung into action and became the first party to declare its candidate for the Panjim by-poll.
Addressing a press conference, AAP Convenor Elvis Gomes accompanied by party leaders, announced Valmiki’s candidature. Describing Naik as one of the earliest members of the party, Gomes said that the Post Graduate in Civil Engineering from the University of Texas, had stood by the party through thick and thin and was the unanimous choice of the Panjim unit, which was endorsed by the State unit as well as the Political affairs committee of the party, Gomes appealed to Congress as well as other parties to extend support. “Valmiki is our choice. The mood of the young voter demands a youthful leader. Our candidate fits the need of the youth” said Elvis, emphasising on the need to field a united candidate to defeat BJP.
He said that the party’s claim for a united candidate was justified in view of the fact that AAP responding to an official request of the Congress represented by its then President Shantaram Naik, had not fielded its candidate at the last by polls.
Meanwhile responding to a query from reporters, Gomes rubbished claims of being the ‘B’ team of the BJP and reiterated his earlier contention of withdrawal all candidates if the rivals could even provide slightest proof in support of the accusations. He said that AAP could prove that BJP first came to power with support from the Congress and were surviving even now with the tacit support they receive from the Congress.
Pradeep Padgaonkar gave an example of how repeated utterances of the father-son duo from Sattari proved that Congress in Sattari was extending support to BJP candidate from North Goa.
