AAP lists seven new candidates for Goa Assembly polls, now total 11

Panaji: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday released a list of seven more candidates for the upcoming Assembly polls in Goa, taking the number of its nominees to the 40-member House to 11, so far. [caption id=“attachment_3037828” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption]   The formal announcement was made after AAP’s Parliamentary Affairs Committee in Delhi cleared the list. 53-year-old Devendra Prabhu Parsekar Desai, a former MGP leader and teacher has been fielded from North Goa’s Mandrem constituency which is represented by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and considered a BJP bastion for sometime now. Desai had left MGP to join AAP recently and is also associated with the People for Mopa movement supporting the construction of international airport in Pernem taluka. With the release of the current list, AAP has till now announced a total of 11 candidates for the 40 seats in Goa Assembly. AAP is contesting all the seats. It had announced the first list of four candidates last month. Former Congress MLA Giovanni Karl Vaz will contest from Mormugao constituency, which is currently represented by the BJP. Vaz was a Congress legislator between 2002-2007 before losing the assembly elections. His father was also a MLA from Mormugao constituency. AAP also announced the candidature of Olencio John Simoes, a fishermen leader and teacher by profession, in Cortalim constituency. Simoes, who is on the forefront of several social movements, is the joint secretary of Goenchya Ramponkarancho Ekvot, an organisation of traditional fishermen. He is also general secretary of All Goa Fishermen Union. Cortalim constituency is currently represented by BJP’s minister Alina Saldanha, who had got elected in the bypoll after demise of her husband Mathany Saldanha. In Benaulim constituency currently represented by Goa Vikas Party, AAP has fielded Royla Clarina Fernandes, who is an architect by profession and is former member of Youth Congress. She is the only woman candidate announced by AAP till date. Former BJP Yuva Morcha leader Sitaram Gauns will be contesting on the AAP ticket in Poriem constituency, which is a bastion of Congress leader and former chief minister Pratapsinh Rane. AAP has fielded Prithvi Amonkar in Siolim constituency currently represented by BJP’s minister Dayanand Mandrekar. Amonkar is a doctor of alternative medicine. In Marcaim constituency, currently represented by MGP leader and Transport minister Sudin Dhavalikar, AAP has fielded Surel Tilva, a lawyer by profession.