Lok Satta Party spends the least yet wins over people in 17 Corporator wards of BMC/TMC Municipal Elections: Surendra Srivastava, National General Secretary and Maharashtra President;
Addressing a meeting of some of the party contestants for Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) and campaign organizers,Lok Satta Party's National General Secretary and Maharashtra President Mr.Surendra Srivastava said that what Lok Satta has achieved is nothing short of a miracle because even the so-called top leaders of all the traditional parties had to buy votes even in their own BMC/TMC constituencies.
Asking party leaders and cadres not to be disappointed at the electoral outcome in terms of numbers, he said "Let us not snatch defeat from the jaws of victory". "We have truly laid the foundation for transforming the nature of politics in the Mumbai and Thane," Mr. Srivastava said adding that it was a job which could not be accomplished overnight. He said getting more than 2000 votes in four wards is a very good beginning for Lok Satta Party in Mumbai.
He said that the party should not lose time in consolidating the support base it has acquired in the 16 wards in the BMC (Mumbai) and TMC (Thane) elections. "There is enormous reservoir of goodwill in these ward. We need to convert this into political strength." Mr. Srivastava categorically stated that millions of people have great hope and expectations from the Lok Satta Party. "We shall never, let them down. The Lok Satta Party shall always be a part of solution, and will never be a part of a problem. We shall maintain high ethical standards, restore public confidence in politics and put the nation above the party at all times".
Mr. Surendra Srivastava also disclosed that the average expenditure incurred by a Lok Satta candidate in the Mumbai and Thane Municipal Corporations constituencies is less than Rs.1 lakh in contrast to Rs.2 crore -3 crore by each of traditional party rival. He further confirmed that Volunteering effort of many young professional and leaders made this possible and that is the way forward.
"The total expenditure incurred by all of our 16 candidates and the party would be less than half percent of the expenditure incurred by a single candidate from a traditional political party. All the traditional parties put together have spent over Rs.1000 croreduring this election in Mumbai alone; Lok Satta's total expenditure (both the party's and candidates' put together) for 16 candidates is only around10 Lakhs ."
Mr. Srivastava, who reviewed the performance of the party in the 2012 BMC/TMC, pointed that most of LSP's candidates are young, seriously committed to public good but are new to electoral politics and generally unknown to the people. "Yet not a single party candidate had resorted to unethical practices – even as the top leaders of other parties had shamelessly resorted to bribing of voters with money, Sarries and liquor, in their own constituencies."
Mr. Srivastava said the Lok Satta has received enthusiastic support from all sections of people during door to door campaigning by its candidates because of its track record as a movement for 16 years since 1996 and as a party since October 2006. By refusing to induce voters with money, sarries and liquor, raising and utilizing funds in an ethical and transparent manner, the party impressed the voters. Also appealing to the voters were its practical agenda to transform the people's lives, its commitment against inconveniencing people through unconstitutional means like bandhs and rasta rokos and its internal democracy.
Mr. Srivastava said the party's political rivals had strengthened the Lok Satta by exposing themselves with their "naked opportunism, family rule, corruption, absence of a real agenda and bankruptcy of ideas, unethical and illegal practices and lack of demonstrable commitment to public good. The disgust and anger against traditional politics made the LSP even more attractive."
Although the Lok Satta enjoyed tremendous support from people, it had not been able to translate it into votes because of the inability of party candidates to spend even the minimum permitted amounts, media's calculated neglect of the party, casteism, regionalism assuming epidemic proportions, irresistible offers of money, sarries and liquor in return for votes and pulls and pressures exerted by traditional party leaders on innocent slum voters.
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Surendra Srivastava
Volunteer - Lok Satta Aandolan
Tel: +91 22 2377 2279 Email: surendra@loksatta.org.in
The Answer to "Bad Politics" is "Good Politics" Not "No Politics" - Dr. JP, Lok Satta Aandolan
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