'Parties sacrificing interests of poor for political gains'

Hyderabad, Apr 16 (UNI) Lok Satta party president Jayaprakash Narayan today alleged that mainstream political parties ''in their unbridled lust for power were sacrificing the interests of the poor, imperatives of nation-building and sustained economic growth at the altar of short-term political and personal gains''.

Addressing a press conference to announce the next phase of the party's ''Surajya'' campaign, he claimed that the mainstream political parties had forgotten genuine empowerment of the poor to help them climb out of poverty.

''Instead they have been deliberately fostering a master-servant or benefactor-recipient relationship between rulers and the ruled and robbing people of self-respect, their most treasured possession.'' UNI VA VV KD HT1800