Non-party civic polls worth Considering: Lok Satta

The Lok Satta Party today described Chief Minister K. Rosaiah’s proposal to hold municipal and corporation elections on a non-party basis as worth considering.

Talking to media personnel who called on him, Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan said that political parties, which are supposed to fight on ideological lines and earn people’s good will and support, have thrown ideologies to the winds and are waging politics of hatred based on region and religion, caste and language. Against such a backdrop, one need have no objection to holding urban civic body elections on a non-party basis and more so considering that the focus in such elections is on local problems and not on ideologies.

Dr. JP suggested that the Government should also consider direct election to posts of municipal chairperson, mayor and their deputies, formation of people-elected ward committees and devolution of a per capita grant of Rs.1000 on each ward committee for addressing problems in wards.

Asked whether the Chief Minister mooted non-party elections to suit the ruling party, Dr. JP said he might have. The Lok Satta would, however, welcome any proposal that benefits people.