Wednesday, July 22, 2009

People are our soldiers and Policies our arms: Dr. JP


“Let us fight the battle for the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation with people as our soldiers and policies as our arms and ammunition,” Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan told party activists here today.

Addressing some 300 men and women who had all applied for the party ticket to contest the GHMC elections, Dr. JP said that while traditional parties believed they could buy voters with money and liquor, the Lok Satta reposed its faith in people’s good sense and wisdom. “People will always stand by ‘dharma.’ While power is the be all and end all for traditional parties, power is only a means to serve the public for the Lok Satta.”

Dr. JP called upon the party ticket aspirants to view the elections as a golden opportunity to transform politics not merely in the city but all over the State. The Lok Satta Party President said that the party would contest all the 150 seats in the GHMC.

He wanted the party workers to tell the voters that the party believed in providing quality education, health care, livelihood opportunities and opportunities for growth to all. It was committed to improving people’s living conditions with a clear-cut agenda which included devolution of Rs.2 crore to Rs.5 crore based on population on every ward towards solving local problems. Ward committees will be constituted through elections, and people will have the power to decide on local works and execute them.

“The Lok Satta, if given power, will enable a citizen’s charter with time limits and penalties for delays in services. A 24-hour call center will be opened, all complaints registered and recorded, and time limits will be fixed for delivering basic services. If there is no delivery of service in time, the complainant will get Rs.100 a day as penalty.

“Basic amenities have been neglected for years and even consumption of drinking water is posing a grave danger to people. People’s dignity, health and safety are undermined. Lakes are polluted with sewage, and public lands grabbed at will. The city is in peril and the Lok Satta s determined to safeguard the future. The two main slogans of the Lok Satta are, “Blow the whistle and save the city” and “Vote for Lok Satta and Power to people.”

Dr. JP said the Lok Satta Party was opposed to ex-officio members like legislators taking part in the Mayor’s election. The party would approach the High Court seeking a reversal of the relevant provisions, which are ‘unconstitutional’.

The Lok Satta Party would kick off its election campaign with a public meeting at Jaya Gardens in Somajiguda at 3-00 p.m. on July 25. The party will organize an exhibition and undertake enrolment of executive members at the venue.

Mr. Nandipeta Ravinder, President, Mr. K. Krishna Rao, Organizing Secretary of the Greater Hyderabad party unit, Mrs. Akula Maharani and Mrs. A. Subhashini were among those who took part in the meeting.

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