MAPUSA: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said that if any of their candidates, fielded for the assembly elections in the state, was found ‘guilty with proof’ the party would cancel ticket of that particular candidate even before 24 hours of the elections and the party would not contest on that seat.
“There would be absolutely no comprise on corruption, character, crime and communalism when it comes to candidates of Aam Aadmi Party,” he said. He was speaking at a public meeting in Mapusa on Sunday evening, attended by state convener and party’s chief ministerial candidate Elvis Gomes, Dr Oscar Rebello, treasurer Rahul Mhambrey and Bardez candidates: Sraddha Khalap for Mapusa, Vishnu Naik – Siolim, Godwin Fernandes – Calangute, Rajesh Volvoikar – Porvorim, Pradip Padgaonkar – Saligao, Pradip Ghadi Amonkar – Thivim and Ursula D’Souza – Aldona. More than 2000 people attended the meeting.
Kejriwal said that “in 2012 election people of Goa voted out Congress with expectations that BJP-led government would work for the people, but they also failed to do so and took U-turns; hence, there is a need to bring change and this change can be in the form of AAP. We will get around 28- 30 seats”.
Taking on the state government on casino issue, he further said that besides rapes, prostitution, women are exploited in casinos; the BJP government had promised to stop it but again cheated people.
“Casino industry in Goa is generating around Rs 4000 crore revenue by way of tax but Goa government collects only Rs 200 crore and the rest of the money goes to politicians and bureaucrats,” he alleged.
“The claims of the government that it is short of funds is not correct, no government is short of funds instead they are short of intension. If there is intension to do something things will work out like how we have managed in Delhi,” Kejriwal added.
He further said that “we have chalked out a blue print to create 50,000 jobs for the youth in Goa; the new industry in Goa will be allowed if they have 80 per cent reservation for Goans and Goa will be turned into a creative hub.”
Gomes said that “I have been made a main accused in the housing board scam after I resigned but the same government has shown dustbins to all other scams. I am Cuncolikar and will fight back.”
He said that “Goa is being divided on language issue, airport issue, but now time has come to stop all the divisions; hence, we have to decide to remove all divisions to unite Goa.”
“This time around 44 per cent of electorate is youth and, of this, 39 per cent youth will vote for Aam Aadmi Party to bring us to power for a change,” said Dr Oscar Rebello.