Rs.8000 CRORES SPENT IN AP

Lok Satta Party today favoured replacing the present first-past-the-post electoral system in the country by proportional representation to "protect democracy from collapsing". Lok Satta chief Jayaprakash Narayan said under the present dispensation, the competent cannot get elected and those elected by indulging in distribution of money and liquor cannot deliver. Pointing out that the country is witnessing a mad scramble for power, he estimated that all the contestants put together in Telangana and residual Andhra Pradesh have spent not less than Rs 6,000 crores and perhaps Rs 8,000 crore in the just-concluded parliament and Assembly elections. A first-past-the-post election is one that is won by the candidate receiving more votes than others. Narayan, who was a member of the Administrative Reforms Commission, advocated direct election of the state chief minister as a corollary reform. "One might spend Rs 10 crore or Rs 50 crore to become an MLA or MP but it is unlikely that one will spend Rs 5,000 crore to get elected as Chief Minister," he said. A third associated reform is empowering local governments with devolution of powers and resources if the present "MLA raj" is to be ended, he said. Narayan claimed united Andhra Pradesh had the dubious distinction of initiating the culture of buying votes with money and liquor. "It has now spread to most of the states. With large sections of people remaining illiterate and steeped in poverty, politicians come to power by dangling freebies too. Yet, we shamelessly feign we have a wonderful democracy," he said. It is distressing that political parties are bent on coming to power by offering money and sops and not focusing on what an elected government has to do. In any civilised society, a government has to provide quality healthcare, education, skills and livelihood opportunities and basic infrastructure and ensure rule of law, Narayan, also an MLA, said. A whopping Rs 152 crore of unaccounted cash was seized in Andhra Pradesh during the enforcement of model code of conduct. The two phases of elections to Lok Sabha and undivided Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly were held on April 30 and May 7.