Press Releases Archive

TRS charges absurd, says Lok Satta

The Lok Satta Party this evening rebutted point-by-point every allegation made by TRS candidate Sudarshan Rao against the Lok Satta Party and its President Dr Jayaprakash Narayan in a TV channel interaction with Assembly candidates in the Kukatpally constituency today. Following are the allegations and Lok Satta Party’s responses:

1. That we talk a lot and do little.

Lok Satta’s response: There could be nothing farther from truth than this absurd allegation. If there is any party in the country with absolute clarity and conviction on the nature of our problems and precise solutions, it is only the Lok Satta. Just to name a few, the following are some of the significant achievements of the Lok Satta:

  • Right to Information law
  • Political funding law
  • Citizens’ charters in municipalities
  • Candidate assets’ disclosure law
  • Campaign against criminalization of politics which succeeded in arresting the entry of new candidates with criminal record.
  • Campaign for empowerment of local governments which drew the support of 1 crore people
  • At the forefront of debate on political and governance reforms in the country

2. What has Dr. JP done before and what does he intend to do for the constituency?

Dr.JP’s record as an IAS officer in different parts of Andhra Pradesh is well known. He has successfully rehabilitated the thousands of families displaced by the Vizag steel plant. As Collector, he bought 160,000 acres under irrigation through lift irrigation schemes in Prakasam district with very little help from the Government. He successfully turned around the AP State Co-operative Bank.

Unlike other candidates who do not have any agenda, Dr.JP has a precise plan for the Kukatpally constituency, which includes the following:

  • Ensuring consistent supply of safe drinking water to all areas
  • Comprehensive plan to tackle drainage problem
  • A massive housing plan to allow tens of thousands of people living in slums to live with dignity
  • Ensuring that every child has access to quality education from 1st to 12th grade
  • Ensuring that every citizen has access to quality and free healthcare
  • A massive re-skilling program to train the unemployed

3. That Dr. JP will be inaccessible to the people of the constituency

This is a ridiculous allegation coming from the conventional parties who are available only to goondas and land grabbers. Yes, Dr. JP will not be available to land grabbers and goondas. But he will be available to every citizen of the constituency 24hrs a day. He is the only District Collector in probably the country’s history who made himself available at all hours of the day to the common man. Even as a Secretary to the Chief Minister he made himself available at all times to discuss genuine civic issues. But apart from that we also intend to open a citizen service centre on a permanent basis for every division in the constituency, to assist the citizens obtain a range of civic services

4. Assuming that Dr. JP gets elected, what can he accomplish as a single MLA ?

First and foremost, we are going to win more seats than the TRS. A single MLA from the Lok Satta is equivalent to 100 MLAs from other parties, given our credibility and sense of purpose.

5. Where is social justice in the Lok Satta?

None of these candidates has any clue of this term ‘Social Justice’’; even if it is construed very narrowly only in the sense of nominating candidates, our record speaks for itself:

Out of the 249 candidates nominated by the Lok Satta, 88 are BCs, 42 SCs, 15 STs, 10 minorities, 28 women and one is physically challenged.
Out of the 33 MP candidates 7 are BCs, 5 SCs, 2 STs, 2 minorities and 4 women

More importantly a majority of the candidates nominated are from a modest background as opposed to other parties who have nominated only candidates who can afford to spend crores of rupees.

Friday, April 10, 2009 - 19:08

NRIs' tele-campaign for Lok Satta

Lok Satta supporters in the U. S. are making 1200 calls a day to their friends and relatives in Andhra Pradesh asking them to vote for the Lok Satta Party in the ensuing elections. Their message is that while traditional parties are trying to influence voters by dangling short-term sops, only the Lok Satta is offering policies and programs that promise a bright future for them and their children.

Disclosing this here today, party spokesmen P. Ravi Maruth and V. Vijayender Reddy told the media that in their response to NRIs, even ordinary people tell them they will show the door to people trying to garner votes with the offer of money and liquor.

The spokesmen said that NRIs in Canada, Australia and New Zealand too are carrying on the tele-campaign in Lok Satta’s favor. The NRIs are also using the Internet for their campaign.

Among the NRIs orchestrating the campaign are Mr. Srinivas Ranabothu and Mr, Prasad Gattu.

The party spokesmen condemned the attack on Siasat Editor Zahid Ali Khan, contesting for the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, saying that violence has no place in a democracy.

Lok Satta contestants all over the State will be taking an oath tomorrow on the policies they will be adhering to. Candidates in and around Hyderabad will be gathering at the party headquarters to take the oath.

Friday, April 10, 2009 - 17:23

Lok Satta Party will produce Dramatic results: Dr. JP

The Lok Satta Party will remain “alive, thriving and kicking” long after the elections are over, irrespective of its performance in the short term, said party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan here today. “But the Lok Satta will surprise everybody by producing dramatic results.”

Taking part in a ‘Meet the Press’ program organized by the Andhra Pradesh Union of Working Journalists, Dr. JP said Lok Satta’s political opponents as also the media had contributed to its growth. He pointed out that the traditional parties by relentlessly exposing each other’s corruption have succeeded in promoting revulsion against current day politics in common people. Paradoxically, sections of the media too have contributed to Lok Satta’s growth by downplaying Lok Satta’s impact and triggering a “word of mouth” campaign in party’s favor.

Dr. JP described the response among the public to the party as tremendous. The Lok Satta, he said, has emerged as the voice of the voiceless and as a platform for constitutional revolt against the present, corrupt political system. But the party does not have the organizational structure to convert the tremendous good will in enjoyed into votes. He would, therefore, appeal to the youth to come forward and take up responsibilities as booth and polling agents.

Replying to a question on social justice, Dr. JP said that it entailed creating equal opportunities for growth to every child, equal treatment of all in matters of law and justice and proportional representation. Social justice did not mean granting party tickets to those who could afford Rs.5 crore. Pointing out that some other parties too were mouthing Lok Satta slogans like ‘silent revolution’ and ‘change’. Dr. JP explained that real change comes about not by changing the players but in changing the rules of the game.

The Lok Satta, he revealed, has allotted the party ticket to 88 BCs, 28 women and 11 minorities. The party is fielding 12 SCs and STs in general constituencies.

Replying to a question on the party’s stand on the Telangana issue, Dr. JP asked whether the demand for a separate State was an end or a means. The Constitution did provide for the carving out of States as also their merger. A mere change of capital without a change in the political setup would not bring about any change in people’s lives. The Lok Satta proposed to form district governments to empower people.

Dr. JP said “the Lok Satta is committed to eradicating poverty in five years since we have the requisite resources and technology. Sixty-two years after the country attained Independence, 80 crore people are living on a per capita of income of Rs.20 a day. In other words, they live on Rs.600,000 crore a year. In contrast, those who have looted the country have stashed away Rs.75 lakh crore of their black money in foreign banks.

Dr. JP said that poverty could be eradicated only with well conceived policies and not gimmicks. Provision of free quality education to every child up to the 12th class, free and quality universal health care, job skills and employment to youth, social security to every family and ensuring higher incomes to farmers and those engaged in traditional occupations alone would eradicate poverty. The Lok Satta agenda included formation of district governments with devolution of resources, powers and personnel and strict restriction of liquor consumption.

Asked whether he could guarantee that the Lok Satta would not degenerate like other parties after elections, he said the Lok Satta could be judged by its credentials. The credit for ushering in historic reforms in governance goes to the Lok Satta. The people can also judge the party by the way it is functioning now. Asked how many seats the party would win, he said it was for the people to decide. All along, the people had been defeating themselves by voting for traditional parties. Asked which party the Lok Satta Party would support in case the election results in a hung Assembly, he said the Lok Satta would support those who subscribed its manifesto containing 50 guarantees to the public.

Mr. D. Somasundar, President, Mr. Narender Reddy, Secretary, APUWJ, and Mr. D. Amar, Chairman, Press Academy spoke.

Thursday, April 9, 2009 - 19:40

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