the goan I network
MARGAO
The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday sounded the poll bugle ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, with party national leader and ex-advisor to the Delhi government Atishi Marlena calling upon Goans to join in the political journey that would change the politics in the State and provide an alternative to resolve all issues plaguing the people on the health, power and education sectors.
Atishi spoke of a political leadership vacuum in Goa and the need for an alternative to address the issues staring at the State. She took potshots at the BJP, demanding to know whether Goa is being ruled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi or BJP chief Amit Shah, with Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar admitted in the AIIMS, Delhi.
Atishi, who was in Margao to inaugurate AAP’s district office at Madel on Tuesday evening, further spoke of strengthening the party in Goa at the grassroots level to bring about a change in politics. “It is an appropriate occasion that we are opening the AAP office in South Goa on Gandhi Jayanti. The AAP also has the same dream that Gandhiji had. We have started fulfilling Gandhiji’s dream in Delhi and we are now on course of building the party at the grassroots in Goa so that the transformation can take place in the State as well,” she said.
She said that AAP Goa convenor Elvis Gomes is the right person, who will take the battle of the aam aadmi to secure their rights, wherein the fight against corruption or to get better amenities for the common man.
Recalling the journey of AAP in Delhi since 2015, Atishi said the mainstream parties, BJP and the Congress, had made fun of the Kejriwal three years ago, but have now been silenced with the government’s achievements in various sectors. “We have made a mark not only in the country with our performance, but have won laurels from across the world, including the UN Secretary General for the Mohalla clinics,” she said.
“When we took over the reigns in 2015, the Delhi government budget was Rs 33,000 crore. Our tax receipts went up to Rs 50,000 crore three years later without any dose of tax. All this happened because we provided a government which did not pocket the people’s taxes for their personal benefit,” she said.
Recalling how the Central government ruled by the BJP tried to suffocate the Delhi government over the last three years, Atishi said the Delhi government has a lot to showcase and the change has been taken cognizance of by outside countries.
Atishi pointed out that the politics practices by the BJP and the Congress has not helped liberate the common man from hunger and unemployment. “We have come into politics to change it and empower the common man.”
She demanded to know why the South district hospital is still not commissioned in Margao. “AAP took just three years and half to bring changes in Delhi and we can change the politics in the country within 10 years,” she added.
AAP Convenor Elvis Gomes urged the party volunteers to start generating undercurrents across the State so that these turn it into a tsunami by the coming LS election.
AAP district convenor Rodney Almeida urged the party volunteers to start building the party at the grassroots. He exuded confidence that the people of Goa will
bring AAP to power as they are fed up with the BJP and the Congress.
