PANAJI: The Aam Aadmi Party today declared Elvis Gomes, a former bureaucrat, as its chief ministerial candidate. The announcement was made at a rally at Cuncolim in South Goa by the AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The 53-year-old had taken voluntary retirement to join AAP. Currently, the elected President of Goa Football Association, Gomes was IG Prisons and Urban Development Secretary when he quit service.
Previously, he has served as director of Municipal Administration and Tourism, chairperson of Goa Housing Board, commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Panjim, and Captain of Ports. Goa is the second state after Delhi where AAP has declared its chief ministerial choice before elections.
Interestingly, the party has stayed away from declaring any chief ministerial candidate in Punjab.
Party sources said this has been done to avoid any kind rebellion and split in ranks.
"Unlike in Punjab where declaring a CM candidate will be messy affair for the party, in case of Goa, this thing is expected to help us. We are also banking on the clean image of Gomes," said a party leader