Goa's private public transport lobby has began campaigning against corrupt candidates for the forthcoming state legislative assembly polls through their passengers. The All Goa Bus Owners Association (AGBOA) has said that they have started educating regular passengers to vote against corrupt candidates.

The Association has 1,200 buses which criss cross across the entire state, mostly touching the lives of rural Goans.

"We know passengers by their names as they travel regularly with us. The bus conductors (who charge fare) strike a conversation with them and appeal them not to vote for corrupt candidates," AGBOA General Secretary Sudip Tamankar said.

Tamankar said the bus owners association will now distribute pamphlets educating the passengers.

These (passengers) are the voters who can tilt the balance during elections. We have a direct rapport with them we have developed a good relation over the years and it might help, he said.

The private buses operate in all the constituencies of the state, Tamankar said, and it is the best medium to reach to people as passengers can spare bit of their travel time to get educated about ethical voting.

Goa is going for polls on March 3. The Association has on its target Transport Minister Ramakrishna Dhavalikar, with whom, they have been locking horns throughout the tenure of five years.

Tamankar said the bus operators have faced harassment due to corrupt politicians.