Won't join, support BJP, swears Goa AAP candidate

AAP's candidate for the Panaji assembly bypoll Valmiki Naik on Monday released an affidavit stating he will not join the BJP nor join the coalition government if he wins.

Talking to reporters here, Naik said that he was forced to issue the affidavit in view of popular disenchantment among the electorate, which repeatedly questioned him during the poll campaign, as to whether he planned to join the BJP, if he got elected.

"I, the undersigned, if elected as MLA with the blessings of the people of the Panaji constituency in the bypoll of May 19, swear I will not join BJP. I will not support a BJP-led government. I make these two promises on this notarised affidavit," the affidavit reads.

Naik said that he would be handing over copies of his affidavit to every house he visits during the campaign, "so that they know that I will not follow the current trend in Goa politics where several legislators have joined the BJP after getting elected to the Assembly in 2017".

Five MLAs have resigned from their respective parties and joined the BJP after the 2017 polls. These include Vishwajit Rane of the Congress who switched over after the poll results were declared in 2017. Two other Congress MLAs - Dayanand Sopte and Subhash Shirodkar - quit the party and joined the BJP in 2018.

Earlier this year, two Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party MLAs Manohar Ajgaonkar and Deepak Pauskar split from the party and merged their breakaway legislative unit into the BJP.

"I will be giving the affidavit in every home so that people will have confidence that I will not quit AAP if I get elected. I request the Congress candidate Atanasio Monserrate and Goa Suraksha Manch's Subhash Velingkar to also release such an affidavit, that they will stay in the own parties and not jump to the BJP if they are elected," Naik said, adding that if he reneges on his promise sworn and notarised on stamp paper, voters could take legal action against him for perjury.

The bypoll was necessitated by the death of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, who held the seat. The BJP has fielded Sidharth Kuncalienkar, a top aide of Parrikar and former MLA from the seat.

--IANS

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