With the talk of mid-term elections to Lok Sabha doing rounds in the wake of strained relationship between the Left parties and the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre, there is a rumour going on in the State Capital that Lok Satta chief Jayaprakash Narayan is planning to contest the mid-term polls to test the waters for his fledgling party.
According to the talk, Jayaprakash Narayan might contest for Lok Sabha from Machilipatnam or Vijayawada or from Ongole. If at all Lok Satta received any support from the people, it is in these two or three areas. Moreover, JP is planning to kick off his campaign against belt shops (illegal liquor shops) from either Krishna or Prakasam districts. So, he might have the chances of getting elected from these areas, sources say.
Perhaps, JP might be thinking that this election would really give him an opportunity to test the real strength of Lok Satta, which he had been thinking of converting into a formidable party by 2009 elections. If he is rejected by the people in mid-term polls, there is no point in believing that the people would believe the other candidates fielded by Lok Satta in the next Assembly elections.
So far, JP has not opened up his mind on this aspect.
