How AAP Chose Elvis Gomes as Its Face for Goa CM

New Delhi: Former Goan civil service officer, Elvis Gomes, a well known and well respected face in the coastal state is Aam Aadmi Party's chief ministerial candidate from the state.

AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal made the announcement while addressing a rally in Cuncolim.

Ever since Gomes joined AAP after resigning from police service, it was widely speculated that he would be AAP's face for Chief Minister. Gomes was first appointed as Convener for Goa unit of AAP.

So what worked for Gomes? Extremely positive public perception - Pankaj Gupta, the party's Goa in-charge said, "Wherever we went, there was respect for him, people could relate him with our party and felt that Gomes and AAP were the right combination."

Gomes, after taking charge as Convener, started taking ownership of decisions and won the confidence and trust of the Goa unit.

With his twenty years of administrative experience, top leaders in the party felt, Gomes will help send a signal that the party can not only form but also run an honest Government in Goa, not shying away from taking strong decisions.

"Popularity and image as an incorruptible officer and incorruptible sports administrator," says Ashish Talwar, when asked what worked for Gomes.

The manner in which Gomes took a stand in his own battle against the state Government also was an important factor.

"He left his job at the prime of his career; filed a case, won the case and left after that... it shows courage, sacrifice and ability to follow though a difficult decision," said Pankaj Gupta, adding, "we want persons like that."

Of the 32 candidates declared so far, Gomes was clearly the best that the party had. The other name doing the rounds was that of Dr Oscar Rebello.

When offered a ticket, Rebello, a well known activist and an active member of the party, declined to contest preferring to be in politics but not fight elections.

Rebello's commitment as a physician was also a factor in him declining to contest. But in Rebello, the party had a person who, had he contested, could also have been chief minister.

"As the prabhari of the state, I look up to him to take the right decision, he is a very good person but he never accepted that he would fight elections," said Gupta.

Valmini Naik, so far secretary of AAP Goa, was another person being talked about tentatively but was considered to be too young. He shoulders many other responsibilities in the party.

With AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal scheduled to visit Goa on the 19th, PAC, the powerful decision making body of the party, felt it was the right time to declare the name of Elvis Gomes as CM face; it would help the party to gauge the mood of the people, help pull in the fence sitter voter towards the party. Also, projecting a face early, felt AAP, would give them a headstart and an early advantage.

The party also wanted to build on the symbolism of 19th December which is Goa Liberation Day.

Apart from Punjab, Goa is the other state that AAP has its eye on in 2017 assembly polls.

Speculation about the BJP-MGP alliance being on the verge of a split, BJP's reluctance to project a chief ministerial face despite having an incumbent chief minister has stoked the hopes of AAP.

"Congress is a spent force. In Goa, Congress will meet the same fate which it met in Delhi," said Ashish Talwar.

Gupta, who has been in the state since last October, said, "We are going to fight all seats alone, we will not have any alliance with any party and we will form the Government. People want change."