Former Union Minister and veteran TDP leader Ashok Gajapathi Raju was sworn in as the Governor of Goa on Saturday, succeeding P.S. Sreedharan Pillai. He was administered the oath of office at Raj Bhavan by Chief Justice of Bombay High Court Alok Aradhe.
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, union minister K Rama Mohan Naidu and other dignitaries attended the event. Raju (74) said he would follow the Constitution of India while serving the people. “We all work as a team, and I am very delighted that I am associated with Goans,” he said.
“Though I don’t understand the local language and this is my first assignment in this (gubernatorial) office, I have had a long innings in the political set-up. I was a seven-time legislator in Andhra Pradesh before it was bifurcated into two states and a short tenure in Parliament,” he added.
“I have been in and out as a minister in the government and also sat in the opposition. I have wide experience,” the Governor added.
He had earlier served as the Civil Aviation Minister between May 27, 2014 and March 10, 2018 in the Narendra Modi government. He has also held ministerial posts in the Andhra Pradesh government, holding key portfolios like finance and revenue. He was also speaker of AP legislative assembly
Later, addressing reporters, Raju said he was looking forward to working with the people of Goa. “I am looking forward to working for you, or rather, I should say ‘working with you”, he said.
“‘For’ is a mind terminology, but (I prefer to say) ‘with you’ because if people don’t work with the government, democracy suffers. We don’t want that situation. We want everyone to work unitedly,” he added. He appealed to people to take India forward by working together. “India will be second to none in the world”.
Ashok Gajapathi Raju is the first person appointed as Governor in Narendra Modi government from NDA allies, other than BJP and the first one who became governor from Telugu Desam Party. A close associate of AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. His daughter is presently MLA from Vizianagaram.
AP Speaker Ch. Ayyanna Patridu, AP Ministers Nara Lokesh, Gummadi Sandhya Rani, Kondapalli Srinivas and several TDP MPs were also present.
