Panaji: Former Union minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju was sworn-in as the new Governor of Goa on Saturday, replacing P S Sreedharan Pillai.
Raju was sworn-in in a function held at Raj Bhavan, Dona Paula near here by Chief Justice of Bombay High Court, Justice Alok Aradhe in presence of Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant and others.
The 74-year-old former union minister said that he was delighted to be in Goa and to swear by the Constitution of India to serve our probably people of the country and Goans in particular.
“We all work as a team, and I am very delighted that I am associated with the Goans,” he said.
Raju said that he does not know the local language, though this is my first assignment in this type of offices.
“But in the political structure, I have had a long innings. I was a seven-time legislator in Andhra Pradesh before it was bifurcated into two states,” he said.
Raju said that then he had a short tenure in Parliament.
“I have been in and out — as a minister in the government and in the opposition — and I have rich experience, particularly,” the Governor said.
Talking to reporters, the Governor said that he hopes to get further enriched by the experiences of lovely people of Goa.
“I am looking forward to working for you — or rather, working with you. For is a mind terminology, but with you — because if people don’t work with government, our democracy suffers. We don’t want that situation. We want everyone to work unitedly,” he commented.
Raju said when we unite, we are second to none in the world.
“My appeal to everyone in India: Let us work together to make India second to none in the world,” he added.
Raju will replace outgoing Governor Pillai who was posted in Goa for four years.
