Press Releases Archive

Power at any cost has become the norm in Andhra Pradesh going by the campaigning in the just concluded by-elections to seven Assembly seats, commented Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan here today.

In a media statement, he pointed out that Mahatma Gandhi and B. R. Ambedkar would be turning in their graves if they noticed how political parties regarded power as the only goal to plunder public resources and did not bother about the means they adopted to accomplish their objective.

Dr. JP said that while Gandhi and Ambedkar believed that unworthy means can never produce worthy ends, today’s leaders believed that all means are worthy if they get into power even at the cost of the future of the new generation.

The Congress and the Telugu Desam Party, which have ruled Andhra Pradesh for the last three decades, have to share the responsibility for the decline in public morality and political culture. People’s revulsion and wrath against the two mainstream parties is so predominant that they want to bury them without thinking of an alternative. The traditional parties which are trying to replace them, unfortunately, have imbibed their culture.

Dr. JP said that the recent political trends should serve as a wakeup call to all well meaning citizens interested in protecting democracy and the State’s future. The grave crisis calls for deep introspection. As Bihar and UP are showing improvement and becoming examples of a resurgent India, AP is symbolizing decline and decadence undermining India’s progress and the future of our children.

Dr. JP said that neither breast-beating over decadent politics nor viewing politics as an untouchable profession will improve matters. The best and the brightest in society, who are concerned over the precipitous decline in political culture, should utilize the Lok Satta Party as a platform to transform politics. The party welcomes people with character and integrity and leadership qualities to join in its mission for ushering in new politics for a new generation, he added.

Can clean politics ever succeed in bringing about a paradigm change in governance?

That is the subject matter of a brain-storming session the Lok Satta Party and other citizen groups are organizing in Mumbai on Sunday, March 18.

It may be recalled that Lok Satta Party fielded its candidates in the recent Brihan Mumbai Corporation elections.

Representatives of citizen groups including the Mumbai Nagrik Manch, Mumbai Nagriksatta and Lok Satta Party will take part in the two-hour session to review their election performance and chalk out the future course of action.

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan will be delivering the keynote address on 'Clean politics and future of political intervention,' and interact with participants.

The event is being held at Shri Chandulal Nanavati School in Vile Parle.

On March 17, Dr. JP addressed a group of professionals on the imperative of young people involving themselves in 21st century politics. Teach for India, an NGO, organized the program.