Former BJP leader Ganpat Gaonkar joins Arvind Kejriwal's AAP ahead of 2022 Goa polls

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has welcomed former Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leader Ganpat Gaonkar ahead of the 2022 Goa assembly elections. Gaonkar joined the AAP in presence of party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday. The development takes place as the Kejriwal's AAP and Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress are eyeing the Goa assembly elections.

According to a press release by the AAP, Gaonkar had been with the BJP for a period of 15 years before he exited the saffron party. AAP further remarked that Gaonkar has been at the helm of land rights issues in Sattari since 1999. The party also claimed that the former BJP leader was previously part of struggles of the villagers of Saleli and the recent Meluli protests.

"Gaonkar had been a BJP member for a period of 15 years before he quit in the year 2020 to contest the Zilla Parishad as an independent candidate. He is a major force on land rights issues in Sattari since the year 1999 and has also participated in several land rights movements. He has been part of the struggles of the villagers of Saleli and the recent Meluli protests as well. He is also the director of the Sattari Taluka Farmers Co-operative Society since 2014," AAP's official statement said

The release claimed that Sattari is one of the most poverty-stricken areas in the state. The statement also claimed that Gaonkar approves Kejriwal's Veej and Job Guarantee that will help the residents who have been ignored by the 'father-son Rane Duo', thereby pointing out to  Pratap Singh Rane and Vishwajit Rane, the sitting MLAs in the constituency. The AAP has asserted that it will "end the dictatorship of the father-son Rane duo". The Kejriwal-led party alleged that the constituency has no jobs, thereby leading to poverty, adding that the Rane duo "silences anyone" who objects to them. 

"Sattari is one of the most poverty-stricken areas in Goa.  Gaonkar knows first-hand how Kejriwal's Veej and Job Guarantee will help the residents who have been ignored by the father-son Rane Duo. Gaonkar informed that Pratap Singh Rane and Vishwajit Rane, the sitting MLAs have been fooling the people of Sattari for long," the statement read.

"We have to end the dictatorship of the father-son Rane Duo in Sattari, in the last 15 years, no development activity has taken place in Sattari, due to which the situation has only deteriorated. They run Sattari, Valpoi and Poriem as if it is their personal fief. There are hardly any jobs due to which many families have come below the poverty line. The Rane duo give this to mostly their chamchas and anyone who objects is silenced" said Ganpat Gaonkar. 

Earlier, former BJP leader and noted lawyer Amit Palekar had also joined the party in Kejriwal's presence. The AAP stated that Palekar was associated with the BJP for decades. By welcoming Amit Palekar on board, the AAP remarked that it has got a popular face of Bhandari Samaj.

Goa's political scenario 

In the 2017 Assembly elections in Goa, Congress won the highest 17 seats in the 40-member House, restricting the BJP to 13. However, surprising the Congress, the saffron party allied with regional parties and formed the government under the leadership of senior leader Manohar Parrikar. AAP has already thrown its hat in the ring ahead of the polls, with the party's national convener Kejriwal announcing free power up to 300 units per month and 80% jobs for locals if his party is voted to power during his recent visit to Panaji. Additionally, Mamata Banerjee's TMC is also eyeing the Goa polls and recently inducted former Goa Chief Minister and ex-Congress leader Luizinho Faleiro into the party.