Lok Satta Party chief Jayaprakash Narayan on Wednesday claimed that people in urban areas of both Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh, who are seething with indignation over traditional parties, will vote for his party in the upcoming general elections.
Speaking to reporters after releasing the names of candidates for 45 Assembly seats in Telangana, Jayaprakash Narayan said his party was concentrating on urban areas where it enjoys considerable support. The party will release the list of candidates contesting from residuary Andhra Pradesh on April 12. The party is contesting only from Malkajgiri for the Lok Sabha, he said.
“Traditional parties have converted politics into business. They sell seats and buy votes, both involving astronomical amounts. They are bent on coming to power by offering temporary sops or monetary inducements or by exploiting loyalties of caste, region, religion and language,” he alleged.
He appealed to voters to reject unequivocally all those who flaunt their money bags or lineage, those who are steeped in corruption or have criminal antecedents and those who offer inducement or seek to divide them on the basis of caste, religion, region and language.
“People should vote for candidates who will work for a better future for the two states now coming up,” he said.
He pointed out that the Lok Satta Party is fielding educated candidates known for their integrity and commitment to service. A majority of them are young; most of them in their 20s and 30s. Of the 45 Loksatta candidates, 19 are Backward Castes, six Schedule Castes, two Scheduled Tribes and four women.
Replying to a question, he said traditional parties have not responded to the Lok Satta initiative for electoral adjustments because they perceive the party as a threat to their very existence.
Jayaprakash, who filed his nomination for the Malkajgiri Lok Sabha seat on Tuesday said his party has decided to support the NDA in national interest.
Although the Lok Satta Party has differences with one or two aspects of the BJP manifesto, it has decided to support it in national interest, he said.