AAP announces 4 candidates for Goa polls

Panaji, Sep 13 (PTI) Aam Aadmi Party today announced thefirst list of four candidates for the Goa Assembly electionsdue in March 2017. The names include AAP’s state convener Walmiki Naik whowill contest from the Panaji constituency, which was earlierheld by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar. BJP legislator Siddharth Kuncolienkar currentlyrepresents Panaji constituency, a traditional bastion of thesaffron party. Besides, former Shiv Sena Goa chief Ajitsingh Rane, whohad recently joined AAP, will be contesting from Mayemconstituency in North Goa, which is currently represented byBJP legislator and Goa Assembly Speaker Anant Shet. Rane is a labour union leader and has been at theforefront of various agitations in the state, the most recentone being a protest by drivers of trucks operating in iron oremines who were demanding compensation for loss faced due thelong ban on the industry in Goa. Molu Velip, a former aide of BJP state minister MahadevNaik, has been announced as AAP’s candidate from Shirodaconstituency in South Goa. The party also announced candidature of Cruz Silva, abusinessman, from Velim constituency, which is currentlyrepresented by Independent legislator Benjamin Silva. AAP has already announced that it will contest all the40 constituencies in the coastal state. Top AAP leaders from Delhi including Arvind Kejriwal,Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain have campaigned in the statefor the polls. PTI RPS GKBSAJMF