Goa Election 2022: Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday announced Amit Palekar from Bhandari Community as AAP's Chief Minister candidate in the upcoming Goa assembly polls 2022.
Palekar is a lawyer turned politician from the Bhandari community which constitutes roughly 35 percent of Goa’s population.
While making the announcement, Arvind Kejriwal said AAP wants to give the state a face that will take people of every religion and class with them.
"So far, the Bhandari community is a part of a large society in Goa. In 60 years, CM was made from this society only once for two and a half years. That's why we thought about it," Kejriwal said before revealing the Goa CM face for AAP.
On the accusation of doing politics based on caste, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal refuted claims and said "people of Bhandari community have put their blood and sweat in the development of Goa."
AAP is contesting the Goa state election all alone. So far, AAP has announced 30 candidates to contest in the 40-member Goa assembly.
Lincoln Vaz (Margao), Nonu Naik (Priol), Gabriel Fernandes (Curchorem), Raul Pereira (Quepem) and Manoj Ghadi Amonkar (Sanquelim) were some of the prominent names featuring in AAP's candidate list.
AAP's Poll Promises
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal recently showcased AAP's 13-point agenda for the development of the state if the party comes to power.
Free electricity of up to 300 units, resumption of mining activities within six months, jobs for all, and allowance for the unemployed were highlighted in AAP's poll manifesto.
Once elected to power, AAP promised free education, free water supply, uninterrupted power supply, free medical services to all. It has also announced to provide a Rs 1,000 per month allowance to every woman above 18 years of age.
Goa Assembly Election 2022 Schedule
- Date of Issue of Gazette Notification: January 21 (Friday)
- Last Date of Nominations: January 28(Friday)
- Date for Scrutiny of Nominations: January 29 (Saturday)
- Last Date for Withdrawal of candidatures: January 31 (Monday)
- Date of Poll: February 14 (Monday)
- Date of Counting: March 10 (Thursday)