Panaji: Aam Aadmi Party national convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal addressed the party’s first public rally in Panaji on Tuesday and promised a corruption-free government if voted to power.
The rally was organised in light of upcoming assembly elections in the state slated for 2022. He said, “The Goans has already tried Congress for 27 years, MGP and BJP for 15 years. This time Goa should give a chance to AAP and Goans would see a noticeable difference.
Kejriwal takes a dig at BJP, says the BJP government in Goa is full of diamonds. He said, “Every other minister is involved in some or other scandals or scams. Goa is the first-class state with absolutely third-class politicians. Goa deserves much better politicians and AAP is the only hope. We don’t understand politics, we only know to work. AAP came here to bring a change and to clean up dirty politics of which Goans are fed up”.
Taking a jibe at Congress he said, “five years ago there were 17 MLAs in the Congress shop and 15 of them were sold. There are only two left in the store today. This stock will also be clear within two months and new stock will come again in March”.
“This nexus of Congress Janta Party has hurt the people enough. Goa has a history of horse trading and defections. To resolve the problem, Aam Aadmi Party candidates will sign a legal affidavit; promising not to switch parties. They will distribute it among Goan voters, assuring them they won’t jump to another party. If they do, voters can take legal action”, he added.
Kejriwal promised 24×7 free electricity, free pilgrimage, unemployment allowance to mining and tourism dependents, employment in each house and a monthly allowance of Rs. 1000 per month to all 18 years above women in the rally. He added that public money which went into the pockets of BJP and Congress councillors will now be spent on people’s development.
While assuring people, Kejriwal said that all the promises that have been made here, have similarly been made delivered in Delhi. Now, it is time to change the entire system. He said, “Congress candidates are not left. People of Goa are angry with BJP. Thus, AAP is the only hope. Give a chance to AAP, we will deliver what he had promised”.
AAP Goa convenor Rahul Mhambre said, “After 60 years of liberation, the state is still lagging in terms of providing basic facilities. On the other hand, the AAP which has been in Delhi for the last six years have brought a tremendous change in Delhi. Be it education infrastructure or mohalla clinics, every project has been appreciated by all over the world. AAP is the only party that has been raising the issues, which affects the common man. AAP is the only party that brought a blueprint of development in the state. I urge every Goans to vote for AAP, which will provide honest governance in the state.
AAP leader Amit Palekar vowed to send the ministers involved in job scams to jail. He reiterated it in a Bollywood style; “Maine Ek baar commitment kar di, phir main Apni aapki bhi nahi sunta”. He stated that the CM Pramod Sawant holds recruitment after AAP exposed the job scam in the PWD sector. There has been a big scam going on in the health sector as well. However, CM Sawant only stopped the recruitment process in the PWD sector. This is because CM Sawant is scared of HM Viswajeet Rane. If the BJP government is a little ashamed, then they should sack the ministers involved in the job scam from their position”.
AAP leader Alina Saldanha said, “The BJP is no longer the party of the late Manohar Parrikar or one that late Matanhy Saldanha joined with a lot of hope for the state and people of Goa. The party seems to have forgotten its principles. Doubling of South-Western railway line will destroy hundreds of houses in Cortalim constituency. Such projects cannot be termed as developmental projects because these projects are anti-people. On the other hand, I was pleased to note that whatever is being done in Delhi is absolutely for the benefit of the common man. This has to be the goal of every government to ensure the upliftment of the common man”.
