Press Releases Archive

Lok Satta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today called upon youth all over the State and industry organizations like CII and FICCI to mobilize support for getting Special Category status to Rayalaseema region in Andhra Pradesh.

Dr. JP had pleaded for Special Category status to Rayalaseema as part of his comprehensive solution to the crisis in the State on formation of Telangana as a separate State.

Dr. JP said the proposals he outlined in the Assembly on January 18 during a discussion on the AP Reorganization Bill have received wide support from people all over the State.

He was addressing a meeting at the party headquarters on the occasion of NRI IT entrepreneur Mr. V. Srujith Kumar Gupta and IT professionals joining the Lok Satta Party.

Dr. JP pointed out that the Special Category status to Rayalaseema would attract huge investments as it entails exemption from excise and corporate income tax and provide employment to tens of thousands of youth. He underlined that he made the proposal keeping in mind the long-term interests of youth and not short-term political gains for the party.

Dr. JP called upon people to detest dynastic politics. Politics is a noble endeavour and not business. As business has many players and results in competition, people stand to gain in that they can have access to quality goods and services at competitive rates. In contrast, there is monopoly in Government. People stand to lose immensely if they elect people going by their dynastic credentials and not their merit or competence or integrity.

The 70 lakh youth in the State and 11 to 12 crore e in the country, who are going to vote for the first time in the 2014 elections should spurn dynastic politics, Dr. JP said. He pointed out that Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao had been elected State President of the party in en election conducted by secret ballot although he was not related to him or belonged to his caste.

Dr. JP pointed out that thanks to the campaign launched by the Lok Satta for the last 18 years the people who once detested politics now deem exercising franchise as a matter of pride. Even today’s leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party which made a splash in Delhi Assembly elections had hated politics in 2011. He congratulated Mr. Srujit Kumar Gupta and his team on their determination to serve the country by joining politics.

Asked whether the emergence of AAP in Andhra Pradesh will result in a loss to the Lok Satta Party, Dr. JP said his party is not a company to be in business only if it makes profits. He said he would touch upon electoral alliances later. The Lok Satta will indulge in mature politics he said and added that it has been instrumental in ushering in many reforms although it enjoyed no power or publicity.

Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao said that the formula outlined by Dr. JP in the Assembly has been hailed by people all over the State. He called upon all parties to halt their double speak on the Telangana issue and support Dr. JP’s formula to resolve the crisis in the State.

Mr. Srujit Kumar Gupta said he has joined the Lok Satta since it alone can fulfil people’s aspiration for a change in the nature of politics.

Lok Satta leaders D. V. V. S. Varma, Jagannatha Reddy and N. Ravinder took part in the meeting.

Lok Satta Party national President and Member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today unveiled a comprehensive solution that addresses the concerns of all the three regions in the State.

In his address to the Assembly on the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Bill and interaction with media personnel and party supporters later, Dr. JP expressed his unequivocal support for the formation of Telangana.

Dr. JP pointed out that Andhra Pradesh has lost a decade because of bickering over Telangana. “Enough is enough. We should not let others make us fight like cats and dogs. Years of strife and stress have cost the State dearly. We cannot have another decade of paralysis and decline.”

Dr. JP reiterated that the manner in which the Union Government sought to divide Andhra Pradesh is dictatorial and unilateral and that almost all parties have been guilty of exploiting the political crisis for narrow political gains, unmindful of people’s interests. Now, that Telangana formation is round the corner, it is necessary for all political parties to focus their energies on ensuring justice to all the three regions in the State.

Dr. JP’s comprehensive solution calls for addressing revenue deficits of Seemandhra and firm and time-bound commitments for Telangana development.

Dr. JP’s formula for Seemandhra development calls for making commitments to infrastructure mandatory, firm and charged to the Government of India, setting up of educational institutes (IIT/IIM/AIMS/IIIT/Tribal University) within a stipulated time frame and guaranteed commitment to Polavaram irrrigation project and Ramayapatnam port.

The formula seeks Special Category Status to Rayalaseema region which will be badly impacted in terms of revenue by the State’s bifurcation. While Hyderabad city had Rs.13,000 crore revenue surplus Rayalaseema had Rs.7,000 crore deficit (4 districts, 15 million population)during 2012-13. The proposed pay revision this year would take Rayalaseema’s deficit to Rs.9,000 crore. The region will not have enough revenue to pay even staff salaries.

The Special Category status will turn Rayalaseema into a tax haven in that there will be Central excise and corporate income tax exemptions. Although there are 11 Special Category States in India, there is none in the peninsular India. Being on the Chennai-Bangalore corridor, the resource-poor Rayalaseema can be the new Dubai attracting investments from all southern and western States. All Telugu-speaking people and the entire peninsular India will gain.

“But sadly no political party is remotely worried or concerned about these issues. As Lok Satta rightly believes, this is not the time for playing out political games for petty considerations. The only solution out of this mess created by the UPA at the Centre and all other political parties in the State who are only interested in their political gains, is significant focus towards development of both Seemandhra, including Rayalaseema, and Telangana. A big part of this can get solved by converting Rayalaseema from a deficit- ridden region into a land of opportunity,” said Dr. JP.

Dr. JP’s formula calls for firm and time-bound Central commitments for Telangana development.

Dr. JP said that the formula he has outlined will create a win-win situation for all the three regions of the State and facilitate their socio-economic growth.

Dr. JP said that the AP Bifurcation Bill carries provisions which are patently unconstitutional. Its provisions for residuary Andhra Pradesh are vague and non-binding. He would move amendments when the Assembly takes up clause-by-clause discussion.

Dr. JP underlined that a change in the boundaries of States should not undermine economic growth or adversely affect social intercourse among people of different regions. “States may be many, but Telugu people will remain as one”

A change in the State’s boundaries or the capital will not improve people’s lives unless core problems like the very nature of politics, centralization of power, corruption and poor service delivery are addressed.

The Lok Satta Party, he said, is ready to shoulder the responsibility of ushering in change and unveiling a new dawn in people’s lives if only they devote their time and resources for strengthening the party to face the upcoming elections.