Ex-Union minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju took oath as the governor of Goa on Saturday, replacing PS Sreedharan Pillai. Raju was sworn in at Raj Bhavan by Chief Justice of Bombay High Court Alok Aradhe. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and other high-level officials were present on the occasion.
Raju, who is 74 years old, expressed that he would adhere to the Constitution of India in serving the people.
"We work all together as a team, and I am extremely happy to be identified with Goans," he added.
"Although I don't know the local language and this is my first posting in this (gubernatorial) office, I have played a long innings in the political establishment. I was a seven-time legislator of Andhra Pradesh before it was divided into two states," he said.
Talking about his political life, Raju explained that he had a brief stint in Parliament.
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"I went in and out as a minister in the government and even spent time in the opposition. I have a lot of experience," the governor added.
A veteran Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader from Andhra Pradesh, Raju served as the civil aviation minister between May 27, 2014 and March 10, 2018. He was also a minister in the Andhra Pradesh government.
Later speaking to media persons, Raju expressed his eagerness to serve the people of Goa.
"I am eagerly looking forward to working for you, or I should say 'working with you. 'For' is a mental terminology, but (I would like to express it) 'with you' because unless people work with the government, democracy gets hurt. We do not want that to happen. We want all of them to work together," he went on to say.
He urged the people to move India forward in an environment of cooperation."India will be second to none in the world". Pillai had spent four years in the gubernatorial office in Goa. He was given a farewell on Thursday.
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