The Lok Satta Party has become the darling of the masses following their revulsion against traditional parties, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said here today.
Talking to the media on his return from a whistle-stop tour of North Coastal Andhra districts, Dr. JP said that people turned up in large numbers for his meetings because they believed that the Lok Satta alone represented them whereas the other parties have become properties of certain families. As he asked people not to part with their vote worth Rs.2,33,000 for paltry inducements, a poor young man at Tagarapuvalasa in Visakhapatnam district commented that traditional parties threw alms at voters even as they looted enormous amounts meant for them. “That the Lok Satta idiom has gained currency is evident from the young man’s remarks.”
Dr. JP revealed that people who had gathered to hear their favorite movie stars came running to listen to the Lok Satta message. The upsurge among the youth, middle classes, women, daily wage workers, families affected by liquor, employees, senior citizens and retired employees for the Lok Satta is clearly evident everywhere. However, in certain pockets the party did not have a strong organizational structure. He appealed to the youth to volunteer themselves as Lok Satta booth workers and polling agents.
Dr, JP rubbished the insidious propaganda that a vote to the Lok Satta would go waste. “A vote to traditional parties which have become the dens for goondas, land grabbers and political business entrepreneurs would be a wasted vote and not if the vote is cast to a party committed to implementing a well-laid out program for people’s empowerment and development.
“The Lok Satta Party is lending its voice to the voiceless majority and giving expression to the feelings of all citizens. A vote for the Lok Satta gains value and gives the voter dignity and self-respect. Traditional parties are fighting like wolves to grab power. The innocent voter lambs should focus their attention on ending the wolves’ raj and not on choosing one among the wolves. A bright future is just a vote away.”
Dr. JP. Referring to comments from certain sections that the Lok Satta is in a hurry to change the nature of politics when the society is not prepared, Dr. JP said such an attitude amounted to criminal negligence of people’s problems. “The delay in changing the nature of politics even by a day will harm more and more people. Go and tell the mothers that are concerned about their children’s future to wait for another decade before they are provided good education, health care, job skills and employment.”
Dr. JP disclosed that the Lok Satta Party has so far spent only Rs.1.5 crore on campaign over television channels. The party is spending its meager resources on legitimate campaigning and not on luring voters with liquor and money. “For every Rs.1000 crore traditional parties spend, we spend only Rs. one crore.
