A realignment of political forces looks certain what with the electoral battle all set to heat up amid the fast-changing political contours taking shape in the State. With the TRS and Congress in Telangana and the YSR Congress in Seemandhra emerging as key players as per poll surveys, the strategy of main Opposition, TDP, appears to lean towards forming a broader pre-poll alliance by roping in Lok Satta and actor Pawan Kalyan’s recently floated Jana Sena Party.
With the TDP set to sail with BJP despite some resistance from the Telangana BJP unit, hectic efforts are apparently on to ensure that the entry of too many players should not lead to a fractured verdict. Giving credence to the emergence of a grand alliance, Lok Satta, which came into being as a party committed to usher in a new political culture in the State, is on the verge of entering into a strategic tie-up with the TDP-BJP combine, citing “electoral compulsions” in the run-up to the elections.
‘Cruel dilemma’While a formal announcement in this regard is expected in next few days, party national president Jayaprakash Narayan said it was not an easy decision as the party had to battle out this cruel dilemma. Will this affect Lok Satta’s credibility while giving legitimacy to the traditional parties? While the alliance proposal found an overwhelming response from party activists and supporters, it did not cut much ice with a few ideologues. “I respect their agony because I too share their concerns. Because of electoral compulsions, certain adjustments are necessary for public good,” the LSP chief reasoned.
“If we say we won’t work with anyone until people repose faith in us, we will become irrelevant. I realise the importance of the force of circumstances for a successful democracy,” he pointed out. Dr. Narayan is most likely to enter the electoral fray from the Malkajgiri parliamentary constituency.
The party, which is likely to confine itself to urban constituencies in both Telangana and Seemandhra, however, has not revealed the number of seats it would contest.
“New India is emerging economically, socially but converting it into a new political India is important. It will put pressure on traditional parties to change their functioning in line with public mood. After all, political parties are out in the market seeking votes,” Dr. Narayan said.
He elaborated that the Lok Satta had been working for transforming politics but it had never treated any party “untouchable.”
He said the Lok Satta had worked with both NDA and UPA over the years and was instrumental in key legislations - disclosure of criminal antecedent of candidates, political funding law, Right to Information Act, local courts law of 2009, autonomy of cooperatives through the 97th constitutional amendment, Lokpal, etc.
Defending his move to go for a political alliance, he said the party would, however, not compromise on its core agenda -- no to dynasty politics, money power, freebies and divisive and vote bank-based politics exploiting caste, region and religion. The party extended a hand to the Aam Admi Party as its first choice but in vain before considering other strategic alliances.
