Jana Sena has a test for ticket aspirants
Leaders given booklets, asked to answer questions on their service, intent.
Vijayawada: Pass a test to get a ticket? That is the way Jana Sena (JS) is going. And this strategy is being adopted for the first time in the state’s political history.
The Jana Sena, which was secretive about welcoming political leaders from other parties from its inception, is now following a novel method to select candidates for Assembly elections.
The JS gives a four-page booklet to aspirants and they have to sit at desks, like students, at the party office and give answers.
Aspirants, including political leaders who are seeking JS tickets, have to reply to questions about themselves, their political background, social service, about JS and other issues in the JS booklet.
Many young aspirants, including NRIs, wishing to foray into politics prefer JS because of its founder Pawan Kalyan’s popularity on the silver screen and also his promise of new-age politics. The JS decided to screen aspirants through the filling of the elaborate JS application followed by an interview by the JS screening committee.
This is a different approach from the selling of application forms for Lok Sabha and Assembly tickets by political parties.
Recently, the Congress sold such applications for Rs 10,000 and Rs 5,000 respectively. Other parties collected donations for applications, but JS is offering the applications for free.
According to reports, the first day nearly 50 aspirants appeared for the screening test and interview. The number increased from 100 to 200 in the past three days.
Aspirants, on condition of anonymity, admitted that while filled applications for tickets are submitted normally, in the JS applications have to be filled in the office itself, with aspirants sitting at desks.
Information sought include the aspirants name, father’s name, date of birth, place of birth, school from where SSC was completed, educational qualifications, profession and details of civil and criminal cases, relationship with JS, details about which Assembly constituency the aspirant worked, issues of the constituency in order of importance, previous political experience about positions held in other political parties, tenure, nature of work, relationship with party leaders and about public service and achievements. They are also asked about the current political scenario in the preferred constituency and strategy to win the election.