The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Lok Satta to launch ‘Surajya’

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Tuesday, Mar 18, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Lok Satta to launch ‘Surajya’

Staff Reporter

Party asks EC to debar, de-recognise corrupt contestants

– Photo: M. Murali

For a cause: Lok Satta district president Parcha Kodandarama Rao and others releasing a poster in Warangal on Monday.

WARANGAL: Lok Satta has demanded that the Election Commission debar the candidates and political parties who indulge in bribing voters , from contesting the elections for ten years.

The party also wanted the commission to de-recognise those parties that make false promises to the voters and seek voters.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Lok Satta district president Parcha Kodandarama Rao, B. Arjun and others said, the party was planning to launch a new movement called ‘Surajya’.

They said good governance still remained a distant dream for the people despite 60 years of Independence. The politicians who promised to do the best had turned out to be selfish and self-centred. “Corruption and misrule is rife in the country. It is time people waged a struggle for good governance,” Mr. Rao said.

Phased programme

The movement would be launched in Hyderabad by Anna Hazare and Sandeep Pandey and N. Jayaprakash Narayan on March 23. Later, similar meetings would be held at Vijayawada and Tirupati.

The party would campaign for ‘Surajya’ in all villages in phased manner with cultural troupes and photo exhibition on how the funds were being misused by the successive Government.

Mr. Kodandarama Rao said the Government spends about Rs. 60,000 annually on each family of five and Rs. 3 lakh in five-year term.

However, as the people were selling their votes or getting lured for the money being distributed by the candidates, they were losing the right to question.

Awareness

The Lok Satta would strive to create awareness among the masses and urge them not to sell their vote.

The party would explain the importance of right to question and how the people could secure privileges if they exercised their franchise with accepting money or liquor.

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