Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan expressed disappointment over the party’s dismal performance in the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation elections. “Defeat, however, is not a matter for despair. It is not the end of the road. For us, victory is a means to accomplish a larger goal and not an end by itself.”
Talking to media persons who called on him, Dr. JP said: “If the goals we subscribe to are necessary and good for the country and our means are pure and without malice, we will surely overcome all obstacles.”
Dr, JP said that the Lok Satta made two fundamental assumptions. One is that the nature of politics needs to be totally transformed. Politics as it is practiced is plagued by criminalization, centralization, corruption. As a result, we have dismally failed in building up human capacity and eliminating poverty. The other Lok Satta assumption is that the people are willing and ready for transforming the nature of politics. The election results reveal that a majority of people are not yet ready to embrace new politics. “
Dr. JP said the people had voted for the status quo without utilizing the platform built by the Lok Satta for ushering in alternative politics. They viewed the elections as a spectator sport and enjoyed the two traditional parties fighting like wolves. Unfortunately, they did not realize that the fight was over who should gobble up the lamb (the voter) first.
“A majority of people continued to believe in hero worship without appreciating each one is a hero in his own life. That’s why the Lok Satta’s call to people to grab the opportunity for self-rule as detailed in its manifesto did not click. Voting based on political parties’ policies and programs is yet to take root.”
The Lok Satta Party, Dr. JP pointed out, fielded competent and educated candidates with no criminal antecedents. It released a credible and practicable agenda for the city and for different divisions and took its message to people. It stuck to its policy decision of not luring voters with money, liquor and other inducements. It carried on an honest and abole election campaign. Yet the people did not utilize the Lok Satta platform. Apparently, the Lok Satta had failed in convincing the people that it is the only party which is fighting for the people.
“We may have to undertake course correction after deep introspection,” added Dr. J.P.
Dr. JP thanked the tens of thousands of people who had voted for the Lok Satta spurning inducements and in the face of adversity. He also congratulated the thousands of party workers who invested their time, effort and money in working for the Lok Satta without anticipating anything in return except the good of the country.
“Setbacks are only to be expected when we are on a mission to change history. We believe in fight and not flight.”
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Disappointment but no despair: Dr. JP on GHMC results
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Absolutely. Time & again we have displayed honesty. There is certainly no need to dispair, although I was disappointed too. For huge causes, achievement surely follows may be late but will happen for sure.
ReplyDeleteJai Hind & Jai Loksatta.
Introspection is surely needed.While clean politics is sine qua non in a functioning democracy,are middle and lower middle class people ready for it is the question.Change is inevitable but it will take its time.Lets not lose hope."Life is too short for those who never waged a great battle for a worthy cause, and too long to be bogged down by a single failure."
ReplyDeleteYes, no need to disappoint..
ReplyDeleteI am from Nallakunta Division, I (our total family) voted to Lok Satta. Many of my freinds said that vote to the person who wins. But i voted as per my innersoul.
There is one phrase in Hindi. Dher se ayega....lekin Durust Ayega...
I believe this.
Jai Bharath...
Jai Lok Satta..
This is a big blow for Loksatta...am an ardent supporter but am feeling very, very disappointed.
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to say words like 'we will come back and change will come' but the results need to be seen. Winning a lot of seats was unrealistic but no seats???
Unless the party goes for serious introspection and a mass drive (it should have happened months ago), I really do not see a future. Maybe JP will continue to win but that's it.
Really - why are our people so lazy and stupid? It is not like they voted for some other ideology. LS volunteers went from door to door explaining fixes for each division with photographs - if this does not convince people, what will?
We are students and supporters of your work. We feel that there is a possibility that the party members/contestants are leaving their responsibilities also on the high command of the party. Individual work and integration is probably necessary now.
ReplyDeleteJP alone can't make everyone win.
There is real need of introspection. Something extremely going wrong. We are still not ready to accept loksatta or we don't have proper advertisement.
ReplyDeleteAlso we no media support. I would suggest that we should have our own channel. Because even if you see media, they do not concentrate on development of India rather look for more of Masala news.
There is immediate requirement of having a TV channel.
I feel Loksatta did what all it can and infact more than what a political party can do. No party did as much research as we did on the problems of the wards. What else can we do? Its not Loksatta that has to introspect , its the voters who has to introspect and retrospect. Voters , please open your eyes, know what you are doing before you do it. What Loksatta can do from now is to help people to remove the veil of ignorance that they had. Give up the vote for note tradition. Come forward to cleanse our motherland. Don't sell your mother for note, bottle of liquor or a biryani packet. Its invaluable.
ReplyDeleteI feel the party made some mistakes.
ReplyDelete(a) It did not use the online medium effectively to mobilise the urban middle class. A party like LSP depends on new voters, not merely converting old voters to its side.
(b) It is too detail-oriented in its communication. This makes it hard for people to instinctively grasp what it will do. We are always promising the people "process" change, but we should also be clear in offering "outcome" change.
(c) The party is afraid of taking sides. But in politics this is important. It's not enough to say "we will promote the bus", you should also be willing to say, "we will charge more for cars, and use that money to promote the bus".
It's not the end of the world, but the strategy has to change. Integrity and ideas will help AFTER a victory. Campaigning and winning require other strengths. Effective communication and differentiation should be the focus.
Its obvious that many of us should become good leaders. With one leader, people can not believe everything can be achieved. We need to show the numbers in terms of executive memberships, etc.. and show the concept of internal democracy is working well.
ReplyDelete