Loksatta is not AAP

Lok Satta which began on AP space as a crusader against corruption, an NGO has now reduced itself into normal political party with splits, defections and what not.

The Party founded by N. Jayaprakash Narayan promising to usher in a new political culture has become a divided house now.

With serious differences between the Andhra Pradesh State unit and national president Surendra Srivastava. taking a serious turn had ended up in a vertical split in the party. Srivastava expelled three senior AP Lok Satta leaders, including party president D.V.V.S. Varma, national council member Katari Srinivasa Rao, when they publicly questioned the appointment of various committees ignoring party’s basic constitution.

Srivatsava, in a press conference in Hyderabad on Saturday, announced the new team for AP unit with Pattabhiramaiah as the interim AP State president and Bheesetti Babji as the general secretary.

Ironically Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan has thrown in his weight behind the Srivatsava team.Over the phone from Chennai, he said he was pained with the recent developments in the party and that Srivastava and his national team would take the party forward.

With party founder endorsing the leadership of Mr. Srivastava and the new AP unit, the Varma team said it had no locus standi constitutionally and opted for their own team led by Katari Srinivas Rao as president till new elections were held in July end.

This reminds me of how another top NGO of AP - AWARE led by Madhavan had also floundered in politics and later become defunct . It should be a lesson to all NGOs to strick to the core activity of crusade against corruption. Because every NGO cannot become AAP and every one is not Kejriwal and every state is not Delhi to respond and react to events and policies .