Panaji: At the backdrop of several Goa MLAs switching sides during last five years, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday said that it will take legal affidavit from its candidates for upcoming elections that they will not change the party.
AAP will be contesting upcoming Goa Legislative Assembly election schedule to be held in February, 2022.
“Goa, despite being a tiny state has been a popular for political defections,” AAP leader Amit Palekar told reporters on Thursday.
He said that in order to resolve the problem Aam Aadmi Party candidates will sign a legal affidavit; promising not to switch parties.
Palekar questioned Congress, if they could provide any guarantees that their candidate would not defect.
“There is no single party in the state that will ensure that its candidate will not join the BJP. In 2019, ten Congress MLAs joined the BJP,” he said.
Palekar pointed out that Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco, who had figured in the first list of candidates of Congress, has joined TMC.
“It is expected that Sudhir Kandolkar, a Mapusa candidate of Congress, who figures in the second list, will join the BJP. Such poaching in the state indicates that the BJP has learned that majority wins cannot be achieved”, he added.
Palekar said that to resolve this problem, AAP candidates will sign an affidavit and distribute it among Goan voters, assuring them they won’t jump to other party.
“If they do, voters can take legal action,” he added.
Palekar said that as soon as the AAP announces its candidate, the affidavit will be filled out. “If a candidate leaves AAP and joins another party, they are immediately disqualified as MLAs,” he said.
Non-Corrupt Supporters of BJP & Congress must join Non-Corrupt Aam Aadmi Party. AAP is born from anti-Corruption movement. AAP is for non-Corruption Goa. Let us together Vote AAP and make Goa, a non-corrupt State.