Few days back someone by the name of Sivaram(TDP supporter) wrote a piece which goes something like " Lok Satta or Lok Chatta,Open Letter to Dr. JP"
http://www.greatandhra.com/ganews/viewnews.php?id=14947&cat=10&scat=25.
As a loksatta supporter and volunteer,I wish to respond to his baseless allegations.I wish that you will help us to get our article published since this will give loksatta supporters a chance to answer his concerns.
Dear Sivaram,
Your Open letter has the same questions, which the TDP has been asking for quite some time without any real interest in knowing the truth. LSP and Dr. JP provided all the clarifications and you can take a look at the videos/news articles (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZhcVomw9rY). JP also agreed for a Face To Face Public debate (http://news.loksatta.org/2009/07/dr-jp-invites-chandrababu-for-debate.html) and TDP went back on their word since they didn't want the truth and showed the spineless leadership it has. I see that you have called Dr JP as ‘Power Hungry’ over and over again in your email but lack any concrete evidence. I wouldn’t throw baseless allegations on people who are trying to enlighten the minds of the country. Brother, its plain wrong. Wake up from your blind following of TDP. It’s no more party which was envisioned by the great NTR garu. It became a clone of Congress Party.
As a Loksatta supporter who has been watching its activities for the past 2 years, I will answer your questions. I am not affiliated to the party in any official way.
Here is my take on your questions.
1. What was the need to convert an organization like Loksatta into a political party? For doing greater good you may say, but then if doing good was your only agenda then you could have done that as an organization itself without forming a political party.
Traditional political parties (Clue - Congress and TDP) and politicians have turned the once noble pursuit of politics into a privately or family-owned lucrative business. Acquiring power at any cost has become the single point program of most politicians as it facilitates personal enrichment at public cost. Therefore, they use money, liquor and muscle power to induce or threaten voters. They fan feelings of hatred and spark violence in the name of caste or religion, region or language in a bid to gain political mileage. Their investment in elections yields them fantastic returns once they come to power which opens up innumerable avenues for making money.
Loksatta as a movement did what many political organizations cannot even dream to do. In order to bring about a national level political and governance reforms, it chose to become a political party. This was a difficult decision yet a necessary one which occurred due to the pathetic state of politics in this country.
2. You could have sided with an MLA or an MP who was good in your opinion and worked with him/ her to kickstart the change. Are you saying that not a single MLA or MP is out there who is not decent enough? If that is your position then are you insulting the intelligence of the people of Andhra Pradesh and the Constitution?
You seem to be having great ideas on what Dr. JP should do and should n’t. A new party will be formed when there is a fundamental shift in the socio-economic political processes or when the current political parties fail and deviate from the promised path. TDP was formed the same way likewise BJP and other parties. For any reform to be implemented for an absolute democracy the majority of legislators must support it and this can be achieved only if you are in politics.
3. If you are not power hungry and your intention is only to bring change, then why is JP the only face of the party? Why is it that the common man does not know anyone other than Dr.JP in Lok Satta party? Why not give prominence to others and let them become popular with the public? Or are you hinting at the fact that all the other people in your party are not good enough to come into the public eye.
Have you ever heard of Mr. Srinivas Rao Katari who won 27,000 votes in the last assembly elections? How about Mrs. Pratibha Rao, and subhashini garu? You will hear the names of several others after the GHMC elections results come out.
4. Loksatta Party aims to bring change in the political climate as per your statements. Yet, when accused by other political parties, your cadre went on Dharnas and threw Chappals against the official party headquarters of a recognized political party. Is this the change you are talking of. I would say it is pure hypocrisy.
Dude, TDP and Congress own the news media and twisted the events .The truth is Loksatta volunteers did a silent protest due to the heinous and cowardly allegations made by the chief of TDP. LSP supporters were showing the chappals, which were actually thrown by TDP supporters at the LSP volunteers.
5. You waged war against corporate educational outfits and said that the public should ban these Corporate Education Institutions as they are evil and vile. Why then have you allocated an MP seat to Ratthayya garu of Vignan group? Are they any different from the other corporate entities?
The rich and corrupt contractors and industrialists who have the ability to spend at least 5-10 crores (of course black money) in buying votes didn’t like our party’s ideologies and preferred you and Congress, instead. What to do?:-) I don’t think LSP ever asked to ban corporate educational institutions. LSP is not against corporate entities. Lok Satta was always saying that the government schools have to improve in terms of quality which will make the poor get better education. When TDP was in power, not much was done for primary education and the fall of government schools was the cause of the rapid rise of private schools.
Coming to Ratthayaa Garu-The criteria for contesting on behalf of LSP are simple-The candidate shouldn’t have criminal record and adhere to Lok Satta party ideology.That’s all it takes my friend, for someone to contest from LSP. It’s that simple.
6. You have said that only clean and decent people who have earned their money in the hard and honest way are going to be your party candidates. I ask you again. Why then did you give a seat to someone like Ratthayya garu? Are you admitting to the fact that you are just like any other political party or are you vouching for Ratthayya garu that he is a super clean business man and whose institutions are different from the other corporate education outfits?
Repeat of 5. But I will still indulge you in the debate, When TDP talks about honesty and decency; it makes me laugh uncontrollably. I am sure most of all your MLAs who are elected have exceeded the 10 Lac election expenditure. They should be arrested and put into jail for lying with the EC. TDP doesn’t have any kind of moral authority to preach about honesty and decency. As a whole, TDP showed that they spent something like Rs 70 Lacs in the last elections. I hope you didn’t buy that lie.
7. You yourself have admitted that you failed in giving the tickets to the right candidates in all the seats that your party contested. If you cannot effectively give tickets to 294 constituencies, how can we trust you to effectively rule them if we give you power?
I will promise that LSP will have right candidates in 2014 election. Can you trust then? It’s not whether it’s Dr. JP or CBN who is the ruler. It’s about changing the system. Parties are not for leaders. They are for people. Did you get it?
8. You criticize other parties when they organize political meets or stage dharnas to protest on behalf of the public but when your Loksatta Party does it, you are defending it as actions arising out of a sense of hurt because of opposition party allegations. Are these not double standards?
Dude, this is a repeat of Questions 4. Are you running out of ideas to come up with material for your baseless allegations?
9. You talk of politics and votes and wrong choices but do you not realize that in this land of too many political parties, a new political party like yours will do nothing but split the people's vote further and enable the riggers and the goondas to reclaim power?
Next time when a new party comes, they will surely come to ask for your advice. You seem to know all the answers for all the problems we have. Why don’t you ask TDP to spend some efforts in winning the people’s hearts by positive efforts for a change? That will ensure that there is no splitting.
There are many many other questions that I have and I will gladly pose them to you if you wish to debate these points. However, in the interest of reader's time, I will limit myself to these few here.
Thank you for limiting your questions. I am getting little bored seing the same questions over and over again. You do seem to love the word ‘power hungry’.
Do yourself a favour and ask the question yourself on who is power hungry in the State of AP. Best of Luck!
Change has to definitely come in the political climate of India if we have to truly progress. There is no doubt about that. But are you really the true harbinger of change or are you simply another power hungry individual with the mask of an intellectual and selfless person?
Is Lok Satta party a real champion party or is it a mere cover outfit that you hope will one day feed you hunger for power? In my opinion, the other political leaders are much better. Atleast they do not wear an intellectual mask and deceive the public with their 'intelligent words and thoughtful actions'. At least, they are direct in their quest to come to power.
If change in Andhra Pradesh has to come by handing over power to a hypocritical individual like you, then we are better of without that change. We do not want Change for the sake of Change.
Dear readers, realize atleast now the danger posed by this Lok Satta party and Dr. JP.
Make your vote count. Do not let it go waste by using your right to vote for parties like Lok Satta. The GHMC polls are around the corner. Make a wise and informed decision for the future of our state is in your hands.
Thanks for giving Lok Satta much needed publicity which made us ready for the GHMC elections. While you are here, please support the Anti-Corruption Bill Amendment Campaign since you looked like a guy who cares about the society.
http://www.petitiononline.com/acbill/
Thanks
Loksatta Supporter
