PANAJI
With no big names in the first list of four candidates, despite signalling a head start over rivals, the onus will be clearly on the party to sell the idea and not the candidates as more names pour out.
The candidates -- Valmiki Naik for Panaji, Ajitsingh Rane Sardesai for Mayem, Molu Velip for Shiroda and Cruz Silva for Velim were part of the first list announced by party leader Surel Tilve on Tuesday.
Not featuring in the first list was former MLA Giovanni Karl Vaz who had joined the party earlier along with his supporters or any of the high profile names the party has been linked with in the past.
While Valmiki Naik has been involved with the party since the day of the India Against Corruption movement, Molu Naik was advertised as a foot soldier of the party who has been actively involved in their door-to-door campaigning and the work of the party.
Cruz Silva is a former panch of the Velim panchayat and has been a member of the fishermen's cooperatives as well as involved in local issues in his area.
When asked about whether government servant Elvis Gomes would feature in the final list, party leader Waghela said: “He is still a government servant.”
Ajitsingh Rane is a trade union leader who has championed several workers’ protests against the current government including that of the Goa Recruitment Society, the mining workers, the Western India Shipyard workers strike and several others.
Dr Oscar Rebello said the party will stick to its guns of announcing non-corrupt, non-communal faces and that it expected to announce its whole list by October.
