MAPUSA: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday decided to field Pradeep Padgaonkar as the party’s candidate for the North Goa Parliamentary seat
“AAP’s North District Committee has unanimously resolved to propose the name of the party’s State secretary, Pradeep Padgaonkar as AAP’s candidate in North Goa for the ensuing 2019 general elections. With this, AAP is the only party which has announced the names the candidates for the two parliamentary seats in the State,” said Valmiki Naik, State committee member of AAP while addressing a news conference at its district office in Mapusa.
AAP had already named the party’s state convenor, Elvis Gomes, as the candidate for the South Goa parliamentary seat.
Naik informed that following extensive consultation with party volunteers and constituency coordinators, four candidates were shortlisted for the North Goa parliamentary seat candidate “ Adv Vishnu Naik (Siolim candidate), Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar (Tivim candidate), Sunil Signapurkar (North Goa district convenor and Parra-based businessman) and Pradeep Padgaonkar (General Secretary).
“Padgaonkar’s name will now be forwarded to the party’s Political Affairs Committee, for announcement along with other constituencies that will be contested by Aam Aadmi Party across India,” he said.
Naik said that Padgaonkar has been in the forefront in raising various issues plaguing Goa, particularly in the North.
“He holds a B.Com degree and has been a founder member of the Adarsh Yuvak Sangh, sports, social and cultural organization in Saligao. He was also associated with the Goa Football Association, being a member of the specially appointed Finance Committee to probe financial irregularities,” said Valmiki Naik.
