Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Lok Satta candidate, a responsible citizencompliments from old neighbours-
(Hyderabad, 26/05/2008)
Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao, Lok Satta Party candidate to Khairatabad assembly constituency in by-elections is taking his innovative campaign to all corners of the constituency. He is getting thumping response even in Bastis. Lok Satta Party's Free Quality education and health along with local governments is really impressing people. Today Mr. Srinivasa Rao took Padayatra in Borabanda slum areas. He met his old friends in V. Ramaraonagar, where he lived some years ago. Many of the people there remembered him with pride and respect. He is a responsible citizen and very much concerned about the social problems around such as traffic, drinking water, sanitation, literacy, said one old neighbour. Srinivasa Rao is the right person for the right Party, they opined.
"I personally knew the problems in slums. If elected, I will strive to provide the basic amnities to all the Bastis on permanent basis. Let no child should be without quality education and no poor man should suffer due to burden of medical expense. We will bulid a healthy and enlightned society where every citizen can become a part of the governance" Srinivasa Rao said.
Ms. Sujatha, Mrs. Subhashini, Mr. N. Srinivasan, Mr. Prasad, Mr. Jitender, Mr. Narasimha, a large number of Lok Satta Party youth cadre participated in the Padayatra.
Dr. JP condemns violence against daily
Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan unreservedly condemned the MRPS attack on “Andhra Jyothi” as unwarranted in a democracy.
Dr. JP said in a statement that the freedom of the Press -- an extension of freedom of speech guaranteed under the Constitution -- is inviolable. .
If any one has any grievance against the media, one has many ways to express it. Since the Press or the electronic media did not enjoy a monopoly, the aggrieved party can draw others’ attention to the problem. One can ask the concerned newspaper to make amends to an objectionable report. One can go even to the Press Council of India. If one thinks that one’s reputation is sullied, one can file a case of defamation in a court of law.
However, resort to violence would spell the death knell of democracy and lead to anarchy, Dr. JP said.
Dr. JP appealed to the media to observe restraint and not glorify violence even unwittingly as heroism whatever be the circumstances.
Dr. JP’s innovative solution to reservations issue
Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today regretted that traditional political parties continued to foment hatred and clashes between castes and divide society on the issue of reservations in jobs and educational institutions without providing a constructive solution.
Dr. JP was commenting on the agitation by Gujjars in Rajasthan seeking Scheduled Tribe status for their community. Gujjars at present are treated as Backward Classes. Meenas, who are Scheduled Tribes now, are opposed to inclusion of Gujjars among their ranks. A commission appointed by the Rajasthan Government when clashes erupted between Gujjars and Meenas last year, had opposed Gujjars’ inclusion in STs.
A similar schism has developed between Malas and Madigas on the issue of reservations.
Dr. JP recalled the Lok Satta Party has proposed an innovative solution to end the problem once and for all. Without disturbing the present reservations for different classes, poor and rural candidates can be given bonus marks of 10 per cent in competitive examinations for admission to educational institutions and jobs. All the children, irrespective of their caste, shall be provided free and quality education in English for 12 years. The Government shall help all the interested and eligible to pursue higher education ranging from medicine to engineering.
LOKSATTA FIELDS ‘APARICHITUDU’
The Lok Satta Party has fielded “Aparichitudu”, a movie character, in flesh and blood to undertake a campaign against political corruption as part of its by-election campaign. Attired in black and sporting flowing hair, he makes the point that by voting for the Lok Satta Party, people can bring about changes in the polity. There is no need for an "Aparichitudu" who in the movie indulges in retribution for corruption, in a democratic setting. The road show of “Aparichitidu”, like the movie, is a resounding success and has become the talk of the town .
Monday, May 19, 2008
Whistle for Change, calls Lok Satta
The Lok Satta Party is deftly utilizing the by-elections to remind voters that they are sovereign and they can change the future of their lives and the country by exercising their franchise.
The party believes that most of the people are fed up with political corruption, inequity and injustice and bad governance. They have changed governments in the past but have not experienced any change in their lives. The players on the political scene have changed but not the political culture. As a result, the people have become cynical. The Lok Satta Party, which is pledged to ushering in a new political culture, calls upon people to use the party as a platform to realize their hopes and aspirations. The party believes that provision of free and quality healthcare and education and job-oriented skills alone will bring about a transformation in people’s lives.
The party has chosen young and highly educated professionals and entrepreneurs as its candidates in all the four constituencies going to polls – Khairatabad, Musheerabad, Secunderabad and Terlam. Party cadres had chosen them by consensus, impressed by their track record of service to society. The party did not look into their pedigree, money power or muscle power or even their caste when it opted for them.
With the election date drawing nearer, all the party candidates are engaged in a door-to-door campaign. Their main focus is on the youth, the middle classes and women all of whom feel let down in the present system and who are thirsting for an alternative.
They call upon voters to exercise their franchise without succumbing to liquor or money. Politicians of traditional parties have been perpetuating their dynasties only with their consent. “If you stop patronizing them, their citadels of power will crumble.”
The Lok Satta Party candidates carry on their campaign without any pomp or show. You don’t find huge party banners or cutouts of leaders or a cavalcade of cars anywhere. Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan undertakes road-shows in support of party candidates. His simple message is: A vote is much more powerful than a gun or a pen. Use it and unveil a new chapter in Indian politics.
The by-elections are not going to result in a change in government or in policies. But they provide an opportunity to the people to demonstrate that they have had enough of traditional parties. The Lok Satta hopes to become their lodestar.(Whistle is the election symbol of Lok Satta Party candidates).
Dr.JP’s poll campaign in Twin Cities
Mr. Bandaru Ram Mohan Rao, Election Co-oridnator, in a statement released the following schedule of Dr. JP:
May 18: Secunderabad
May 19: Musheerabad
May 20: Khairatabad
May 22: Secunderabad
May 23: Khairatabad
May 24: Musheerabad
May 26: Secunderabad
May 27: Secunderabad,Khairatabad,Musheerabad
Lok Satta is Your vehicle, Make use of it.
In Indian mythology many Gods have vehicles to rest on and in the same way, the voter being the God in democracy can rest on the vehicle of Loksatta to achieve his basic needs as a sovereign, said Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan, the Lok Satta party President... In his campaign in Secunderabad to promote the party candidate Mr. M.Pradeep Kumar, he toured through Lalapet, Lakshminagar, Shantinagar, Noorpanshop, Masjid areas on Sunday.
The response to Dr. JP's roadshow and Padayatra in some areas was tremendous and very interactive. Especially women received his message with keen attention. In Lakshminagar, women complained about liquor menace in their area. Jayaprakash Narayan explained that Loksatta has taken this issue seriously and has been fighting for the eradication of liquor belt shops. And also Lok Satta was pestering the political parties not to distribute liqour in elections. But no Party is responding our appeal, he regretted. Unless you cleanup the politics, you cannot restrain the liqour menace, he explained the women.
Dr. JP appealed the voters to support a common youth Mr.Pradeep among other traditional competents, as Loksatta is for redefining politics. He asked them to vote for whistle, which is the symbol for Loksatta in the bye-elections.
Party leaders Ravi Martuth, D.Lakshmi, Vinod, Kiran Kumar, Sriman Narayan and volunteers participated in Dr.JP's campaign.
'Seeti Bajao, City Bachao
"The people are expressing their solidarity in a big way to the ideology of Lok Satta. We are hoping that this by-election will bring a big change in the present political system" said Mr. Srinivasa Rao.
"This year IAS topper Mr. A. Karthik also said that his role politician is Dr.Jayaprakash Narayan, whcih symboliges that the youth are in favour of Lok Satta New Political Order" he added.
Mr. Surendra Srivatsava, Ashok, Meera, Subhashini, Sujata along with other volunteers participated in the Padayatra.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Lok Satta Party in the Election Battle 2008. Read the latest issue of Lok Satta Times- May 2008 edition.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Eschew foul public debate, Appeals Dr. JP
He was commenting on the polemical exchanges between TDP leader Devender Goud and TRS President K. C. Chandrasekhara Rao, and Chief Minister Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy and the TDP President N. Chandrababu Naidu, and other leaders in the recent past.
The Lok Satta always believed that politics is a noble endeavor. Elections provided an opportunity for political parties to mobilize public opinion in favor of their policies and ideas. But when politics degenerates into private business and political parties are driven by their unbridled lust for power without any agenda, they indulge in personal rivalry, disgraceful public debate and cheap diatribes unbecoming of people aspiring to be or pretending to be leaders. If public functionaries cannot become role models, they have no place in public life, Dr. JP said.
Dr. JP regretted that traditional parties and politicians seemed to believe that they could not survive without the crutches of power or the nuisance value it confers on them. Although politics is important it forms only a small part of life. Unfortunately in India, the entire society is revolving round politics and political parties are receiving disproportionate and unwarranted attention.
Dr. JP said: “Our society is facing grave short-term and long-term problems affording an opportunity to find meaningful solutions. But when parties have no agenda, they indulge in rabble-rousing and disruptive behavior. The media and society shall deprive such politics and politicians the oxygen of publicity and attention. The need of the hour is promoting a healthy and vigorous debate on education, health care, equity, employment, justice, rule of law and corruption in politics”.
Off-beat nominations by Lok Satta candidates
Accompanied by their followers attired in party T-shirts and sporting paper caps, the candidates will undertake a ‘padayatra’ to the offices where nominations are to be filed. They will carry national flags as well as party flags to drive home the party’s commitment to national interests.
Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao, the party candidate for the Khairatabad seat, and Mr. Rohit Kumar Parasa, the candidate for the Musheerabad seat, will be filing their nominations in the forenoon of Wednesday, May 7. Mr. Maganti Pradeep, the candidate for the Secunderabad seat, will be filing his nomination on May 9.
Dr. JP wants political parties to disclose income and expenditure
Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan recalled in a media statement that his party has set an example to others by placing an audited copy of its income and expenditure on its website, although no law compelled it. It is because of its belief that the people have a right to know how the party raised its resources and spent them.
Dr. JP demanded that all political parties should follow suit in the interests of democracy. Even the Election Commission would like a law to be enacted making it mandatory for political parties to disclose their sources of funding and ways of expenditure.
In a democracy, Dr. JP said, a political party should not become the private property of some without any say for other members. The Lok Satta Party has been built as a party of the people. It chose its office-bearers and candidates to contest elections by taking the opinion of the rank and file by secret ballot. In contrast, most parties have turned dynastic, undermining democracy in the process.
Dr. JP called upon parties to heed CIC opinion that transparency in political parties’ organization, functions and their means of funding is a democratic imperative and is in public interest.
Friday, May 02, 2008
Lok Satta Party's rejoinder to Sakshi's editorial on JP and Lok Satta Party
Lok Satta Party fields young & educated in Assembly by-elections
The Lok Satta Party is ushering in new political culture by fielding young, educated professionals or entrepreneurs with a clean record and a burning desire to change the politics of the country in the by-elections to the Assembly.
The party is contesting by-elections from Khairatabad, Musheerabad, Secunderabad and Terlam.
Announcing the names of candidates the party is fielding, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan told a media meet here today that the party is providing a platform to the silent majority to assert itself. The silent majority comprising youth, women and middle classes has been fed up with corrupt and dynastic politics but is feeling helpless in the absence of an alternative platform. The Lok Satta Party is utilizing the elections to present the alternative platform so that the silent majority can unleash a silent revolution.
Dr. JP said the party candidates do not have political Godfathers, money power or muscle power. The party rank and file have chosen them unanimously, impressed by their commitment and dedication to the nation and their impeccable background. In fact, they are people who have excelled in their professions or occupations although they belong to disadvantaged sections. The average age of the contestants is just 31.