Panaji, Aug 25 (IANS): The Aam Aadmi Party in Goa on Wednesday challenged Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar or his party nominees to an open debate on the state's issues.

The dare comes a day after Bharatiya Janata Party legislators in the state challenged AAP co-convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for a public debate on his party's achievements in the national capital.

In an open letter to Parsekar, AAP Secretary Valmiki Naik said his party is willing to field Kejriwal in a public debate at a "place, date and time of Goa Chief Minister's choice", provided the debate is moderated by a neutral person.

"We write to you in connection with the demand made by your BJP legislators for a public debate with Arvind Kejriwal on various issues haunting Goa, such as garbage, rampant availability of drugs as admitted and accepted by your goodself, the mushrooming casino-gambling culture, deteriorating law and order and astronomical levels of corruption," Naik said in his letter to Parsekar.

Welcoming Goan legislators to Delhi as state guests to "see the groundwork of the AAP government and meet innocent (AAP) legislators framed by the central government", Naik said that AAP's Goa leaders are even willing to hold a debate with BJP leaders handpicked by Parsekar.

The assembly polls in Goa are scheduled for early 2017.