Loksatta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan today described the contest for Malkajigiri Lok Sabha seat as a fight between dharma and money and exuded confidence of dharma winning over money in the defining election.
Addressing a media conference, Dr. JP who is contesting the seat, said he has heard rumors of some candidates spending up to Rs.150 crore each in the constituency and added that politics has come to mean mere money.
It is, therefore, no surprise that forces which are bent upon continuing the status quo are mortally afraid of the Loksatta Party which is seeking votes on the plank of changing the nature of politics and governance without offering any inducements to voters.
Referring to movie star Pavan Kalyan’s decision to support the TDP candidate in Maljigiri although he had pledged to campaign for the Loksatta earlier, Dr. JP said he could understand the pressures and influences Pavan was subjected to and the agonizing dilemma he had to contend with. Pavan, he recalled, had originally thought of contesting from Malkajgiri. but dropped his idea later deeming him (Dr. JP) as the right candidate. He had openly expressed support and offered to campaign for Dr. JP
Dr. JP said he was moved by Pavan’s gesture. “Pavan is a sincere and guileless person who is burning with a desire for the development of Telugu people and the country. I can understand his compulsions and pressures.”
Within minutes of learning of Pavan’s decision, Dr. JP said, he had sent an SMS to Pavan saying that his decision “will not harm our friendship and mutual regard. I wish you all the very best in your endeavors.”
Dr. JP said Pavan’s decision highlights to what extent traditional political forces are trembling over the threat posed by forces standing for dharma.
Dr. JP underlined that elections are not about the future of political parties or their candidates but are about the future of people exercising their franchise. Elections should not be viewed as an exercise to change players but as a means to transform the system. The real hero in the elections is the ordinary voter and not the contesting candidates.
Dr. JP explained that he is in the field with a clear-cut agenda. He will fight for spending about Rs.7000 crore on improving drinking water, drainage and sewerage facilities in Hyderabad. He will work for ensuring a per capita grant of Rs.1000 to every ward in the city so that elected people’s representatives can attend to people’s pressing problems. Citizens should be entitled to time-bound Government services. Public transport should be improved with Metro Rail, MMTS, and RTC services being brought under a single agency. There should be uninterrupted power supply in Hyderabad.
Dr. JP said he would work for ensuring that the Government of India fulfills the promises it had made to the two emerging States on the eve of bifurcation. He will work for creation of one crore jobs a year in the manufacturing sector. He will strive for replacement of the first-past-the-post system by proportional representation so that the best and the brightest can enter legislative bodies.
State Loksatta Party President Katari Srinivasa Rao and party leaders P. Bhaskara Rao and Narra Sridhar took part in the media conference.
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