Had the Lok Satta had Rs.40 crore as its election fund, it would have emerged as a significant player in Andhra Pradesh politics today, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said today.
Addressing a media meet, at which he released a statement of donations received and expenditure incurred by his party during the elections to the Assembly and the Lok Satta, Dr. JP said the party was handicapped by paucity of resources in engendering confidence about its fighting mettle. Although the party succeeded in taking its message to the public, it could not whip up a wind in its favor because of its low-key campaign.
Dr. JP pointed out that a political party cannot function without resources. “Honest politics needs honest money. The party accepted donations only by cheque, accounted for every rupee it spent and placed the facts before the public.”
Dr. JP called upon leaders of competence and integrity from all walks of life to make the Lok Satta their forum for bettering people’s lives.
The party was introducing executive membership with a view to making the party self-sustaining in its day-to-day operations. An executive member has to pay Rs.1000 as fees per year or Rs.100 per month as a token of his owning the party.
On the occasion of 2009 elections, the party received contributions amounting to Rs.3,23,73.900. It incurred a total expenditure of Rs.3,16,01,095 including Rs.2,25,83,670 on electronic and print media. The contributions included those from NRIs. Dr. JP spent a total of Rs.4,92,326 on contesting from Kukatpally to the Assembly.
In reply to a question, Dr. JP said the three traditional parties in Andhra Pradesh would have spent Rs.4000 crore, most of it on inducing voters with cash and liquor, during the elections.
Dr. JP said the Lok Satta would contest the GHMC elections with a clear-cut and practicable agenda. The five promises the party is making are:
- Supply of safe drinking water in all colonies and bastis which do not have the facility now with the installation of reverse osmosis plants
- Implementing a citizen’s charter under which failure to attend to a public grievance in a specified period invites penalty on the GHMC
- Identification and resolution of problems basti-colony wise and implementation of a division agenda in three phases – 100 days, one year and five years respectively.
- Devolution of GHMC funds at the rate of Rs.2 crore for each division every year, so that an elected divisional committee could spend it on attending to pressing local problems
- Integration of the functioning of the GHMC, Metrowater and Urban Development Authority
“We have the clarity of purpose, determination, competence and integrity to deliver on our promises. We can make Hyderabad a truly get city worthy of our heritage. Right now, the city is on the verge of paralysis with poor water supply, inadequate drainage and sewerage, and nightmarish traffic. This election should serve as a wake up call, and all youth, women, middle classes and the poor should join hands to transform our city”, said Dr. JP.
In reply to a question, Dr. JP said his party would consider an alliance with other parties in the GHMC elections provided there is total agreement on the agenda for the city, and there is willingness to practice ethical politics.
Mr. V. Vijayender Reddy, Lok Satta Secretary and Mr. Nandipeta Ravinder, President, Greater Hyderabad Lok Satta unit, flanked Dr. JP.
This is not the right blog post to put this thought but still writing it down. Can JP also create a reading resource page somewhere ? To bring any change we need informed citizens.Citizens who can understand the problems , come up with solutions, find similar things happening arounf the word , learn from them. In other words , read a lot !!! Of course what we read is very very important thing and we should also create movement sort of thing with that. Agriculture, Education , healthcare, Infrastrcutre How others have achieved different things and what we can learn from them . We need this so lot of people can be intelligent enough to make thier decision and I am sure JP can provide us very good resources to read.
ReplyDeleteHi JP, I am a resident of KPHB 6th Phase near Magna Super Market, Gandhi Towers. I have a concern about the recent House regularization act passed by the court of Law stating that It is compulsory to pay the second payment too to get our own houses to be really owned by us. We did the first payment and still got summons to pay the first tem itself. Who did not pay a single penny did not get any letter. What is this all hassle about? Do we really pay the money that they are seeking for fund raising in this tough times. What will be the consequences if we do not pay.
ReplyDeleteFor any suggestions/questions/complaints, please send mail to jp@loksattaparty.com with your contact details.
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteThis Raghu, i've been living in the US for the past 4 years or so and moved back to India a couple of months ago, I followed the politics of AP with keen interest even when i was in the US, i actually thought and still believe Loksatta is the answer to most of the problems people have, it could provide people with the support they need, make their lives better and what not.
After seeing the way the election for the new new government was conducted and the way political parties made every heinous attempt to grab the power i was utterly disappointed.Its disgusting to see how the politicians of today have taken people for granted and how people have accepted the fate and continue to live in a pathetic and sorry state.
While living in the US i always thought i could make a lot of money and make my family happy and i partly did it too and then i thought now that i have done my duty of taking care of my parents i could try and help people in any manner that i could and i started buying food for old people who live on the streets, i still do it. But i have a strong feeling that how much ever me and people like me keep doing for the society, the country is not going to become a better place to live in until the people who make the decisions understand the problems of the land and are willing to solve them.
I have a very good feeling about the Loksatta party and most of the people do too, but what i feel is that the party needs to reach the masses the uneducated lot the people who still think that the Congress represents Gandhi and the TDP is NTR, people who still vote for thier caste or religion. Pople who think making a 1000Rs for a vote is a steal, people who still starve to death and people who die drinking polluted water.
Sometimes i feel like nothing is ever going to change in this country and people are going to continue to live the same way for ever. And then the optimist in me kicks in and says things are going to change. I listen to him in the hope of seeing a better and brighter tomorrow.
I don't know how many people would read this post and how much of it makes sense.Just thought i would share what has been in my mind and heart for way too long.
-Thanks,
Raghu.
I like your writing style. Nice blog.
ReplyDelete