Press Releases Archive

The Loksatta Party today welcomed the genuine effort by Union Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda to “end the era of reckless populism and lay the foundation for improved traffic infrastructure.”

In a media statement, Loksatta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said that the broad trajectory of the railway budget is in keeping with the NDA Government’s objective of accelerating economic growth and creating employment.

Dr. JP said the emphasis on public-private partnership and private investments and the determination to make decisions based on commercial and viability considerations are welcome departures from ad hoc measures that punctuated the earlier regime for a decade.

While welcoming the Railway Minister’s initiative to improve track and start high speed trains, Dr. JP pointed out that bullet trains will be highly expensive and unviable unless traffic density is very high and passengers are willing and capable of paying high fares. Against such a backdrop, it is pleasing to note that the Railway Minister is ready to pursue low-cost options after a survey by the Japanese.

Dr. JP also suggested that an independent statutory railway authority be created to maintain the track and signalling systems so that there can be genuine competition between public and private train operators.

Referring to the focus on Maharashtra and Karnataka in the railway budget, Dr. JP noted that old habits die hard. The Government should take decisions based on economic rationale and commercial viability and not succumb to populism in such a vital sector as the railways.

Loksatta Party leaders and workers paid tributes to Mr. V. Vijayender Reddy, the party’s Telangana Co-convener, who died in a road accident near Hyderabad on June 23. The body was brought to the party headquarters in Banjara Hills to enable party workers to have a last look at him. 

They placed garlands and showered flowers on Mr. Vijayender Reddy’s body which was draped with a party flag.

Among those who paid floral tributes to Mr. Vijayender Reddy were Loksatta Party State President Katari Srinivasa Rao, the party’s Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Conveners Bandaru Ramamohan Rao and D. V. V. S. Varma, Greater Hyderabad unit President Dosapati Ramu, Mahila Satta leader N. Saroja Devi, and Mrs. Radha Rani, wife of Loksatta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan. 

Tributes were paid also by party leaders G. Raja Reddy, P. Bhaskara Rao, K. Gita Murthy, Marri Ramireddy, V. Ramachandraiah, D. Lakshmi, P. Kodanda Ramarao, V. Laxman Balaji and G. Gattayya.

City leaders of the TRS, BJP and Aam Aadmi parties -- Ravinder, Vinod and Chennaiah – were present.

Mr. Vijayender’s body was later taken to his native place Chelimedu in Nalgonda district and cremated. Party leaders Bandaru Ramamohan Rao, Katari Srinivasa Rao, Dosapati Ramu, Chennupati Vazir, G. Venkateswara Rao, Mrs. Durga and others took part in the last rites.