Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: The Aam Aadmi Party in Goa has launched a statewide outreach campaign under which voters will help draft constituency level manifestos for the upcoming Zilla Panchayat elections. The initiative was announced in Margao on Tuesday at a press conference addressed by AAP MLA Capt Venzy Viegas and ZP candidates Joseph Pimenta from Benaulim, Antonio Leao Fernandes from Colva and Isaca Fernandes from Velim.
Viegas said the party wanted to reverse the usual process where manifestos are prepared without public consultation. He said every ZP constituency would hold a “Manifesto Meeting” where residents can list their problems and suggest solutions. According to him, inputs gathered at these meetings will form the basis of the party’s commitments and will be read out publicly at the end of each session for transparency.
AAP leaders said the meetings aim to document local issues in each ward and village and to involve citizens directly in shaping development priorities. They said the goal was to ensure that ZP agendas are based on specific concerns rather than broad declarations.
Pimenta said voters in Benaulim appreciated efforts to bring governance closer to the people and expected practical commitments on matters such as roads, water supply, health services and the environment. Fernandes from Colva said residents preferred leaders who remain accessible and consistent in their outreach. Isaca Fernandes said people in Velim were looking for an alternative to what she described as corruption and high handed politics.
Viegas pointed to AAP’s community work through free clinics, health camps and issue based campaigns, saying the party could deliver more effectively with ZP level representation.
The party urged residents, including youth, farmers, fisherfolk and women’s groups, to participate in the meetings, stating that their suggestions would directly influence the Zilla Panchayat level development plans. AAP leaders said the elections were an opportunity to place public concerns at the centre of local governance.
