PANAJI: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Monday declared Elvis Gomes as the party's chief ministerial candidate for Goa. Mr. Gomes, a former Inspector General of Prisons, recently took voluntary retirement and joined the AAP.
Announcing this at a public rally in south Goa's Cuncolim village, Mr. Kejriwal said Mr. Gomes, who has been a State civil service officer for over 20 years, was “non-corrupt and a well-accepted face among all religious communities”.
Addressing the meeting which was attended by nearly 5,000 AAP workers and supporters, Mr. Kejriwal said, “He could have amassed crores of rupees but he did not make a single paisa. He is a dead honest officer.”
Mr. Gomes was serving as the Inspector General of Prisons before he joined the AAP in October. He will be contesting the Assembly elections from Cuncolim in south Goa, a seat currently represented by BJP. Goa will go to polls in early 2017.
Praising Mr. Gomes, the Delhi CM said, “Among all the AAP candidates, there is a gem. (His name is) Elvis Gomes has been in the government service for 20 years but did not make any money through ill means. He has been an honest officer.”
He said, “We are against people who are criminals, communal or with bad character. If you find any proof against our candidates, even a day before (the polls), we will drop the candidate,” Kejriwal said.
Claiming that Delhi has witnessed “sea change” under AAP rule, Mr. Kejriwal said, “We will die but never compromise on corruption. There will be no compromise on corruption.”
“I believe that we don’t know to play politics. I concede, we don’t understand politics, we are small people,” he said.
Taking on the BJP and Congress, the Delhi Chief Minister alleged that both the parties have made Goa a “drug destination”.
“Who will save us from drugs and gambling? Who will save our forests and lands? It is our responsibility. It is the responsibility of the common man to save our land and forests and protect Goa,” he said. (With agency inputs)
