Panaji: The Aam Aadmi Party has announced new office-bearers for the Goa unit, appointing party’s senior leader Valmiki Naik as the state president.
The post was vacant after Amit Palekar was removed as party’s Goa unit chief following its poor performance in the recently held zilla panchayat elections.
AAP’s Goa desk incharge Atishi and national general secretary organisation Dr Sandeep Pathak said the political affairs committee of the party has appointed new office-bearers for the unit.
Naik has been appointed as the state president, Gerson Gomes as the working president, Prashant Naik as the organisation secretary, while Sandesh Taleikar Dessai has been named as the state senior vice-president.
Soon after his appointment, Valmiki Naik joined the Chimbel villagers, who have been protesting the Unity Mall project and Prashasan Stambh at Toyyar Lake in the village.
Naik extended the party’s support to the protesting villagers, stating that AAP would stand with the people.
“If BJP wants to build a Unity Mall, let them build it in Sankhali or Porvorim – on the land of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant or Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, but not at our Toyyar Lake at Chimbel. Khaunte says no one uses the lake. Does that mean BJP will now destroy every lake and forest they claim is unused?” he questioned.
He said AAP will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Chimbel and across Goa against “destructive” projects and will resist any attempt by the BJP government to destroy natural heritage in the name of development.
