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Former Sena leader named in 1st AAP list for Goa polls, 3 other names announced
Sources in the party said that AAP state secretary Valmiki Naik will contest from the Panjim seat while former Shiv Sena leader Ajitsingh Rane will contest from Maem in North Goa.
The Aam Aadmi Party announced its first list of candidates for the Goa assembly elections on Tuesday, ahead of rivals BJP and Congress. The first list includes a former Shiv Sena spokesperson who is also a trade union leader in Goa.
The political affairs committee -- AAP’s decision making body -- cleared four names on Monday night for the 40-member assembly elections to which are expected in March 2017.
“The Goa state unit has been asked to shortlist candidates for the rest of the seats and put them up before the PAC,” a member of the top body said. The party expects to announce all its candidates in the state by October end.
AAP state secretary Valmiki Naik will contest from the Panjim seat while former Shiv Sena leader Ajitsingh Rane will contest from Maem in North Goa. The committee also cleared the name of former Abelim sarpanch (village chief) Cruz Silva from the Velim seat.
Molu Velip, a former aide of BJP state minister Mahadev Naik, was announced as the candidate from Shiroda constituency in South Goa.
Both Silva and Rane joined the AAP a month ago -- Silva in April and Rane, who also heads the Goa Trade Unions Congress, last month. The AAP moved into election mode in Goa with its national convener Arvind Kejriwal’s visit to the state late in July. Last week, Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia and healthy minister Satyender Jain toured Goa, holding public meetings and publicising the Delhi government's governance model.
