PANAJI
Former Union Minister and veteran Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju was on Saturday sworn in as the new Governor of Goa. He succeeds P S Sreedharan Pillai, who completed his term earlier this month.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Durbar Hall of Raj Bhavan in Dona Paula. The oath of office was administered by Justice Alok Aradhe, Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court.
In his first address as Governor, Raju expressed his delight at being in Goa and spoke of his commitment to working for the people. “I am delighted to be in Goa. I am delighted to swear by the Constitution of India to serve the people of our country, but Goans in particular,” he said. He also acknowledged that while he does not know the local language, he looks forward to engaging with Goans and learning from the experience.
Speaking about his political journey, Raju said this was his first assignment in such a constitutional office. “But in the political structure, I have had a long reach. I was a seven-time legislator in Andhra Pradesh before the bifurcation of the state, and I have done a short stint in Parliament. I’ve also served in and out of government as a minister and in the opposition. I hope to get further enriched by the experiences here,” he said.
Calling for unity and collective effort, the Governor emphasised that the success of democracy depends on cooperation between people and government. “If the people don’t work with the government, our democracy will be in peril. We want everyone to work unitedly. When we unite, we are second to none in the world,” he said.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant welcomed the new Governor and said his vast experience in governance and administration would help Goa move forward. “We welcome Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju to Goa. His vast experience in governance and administration will help the state move forward. We look forward to working closely with him,” Sawant said.
