Noted anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare is expected to meet key members of the India Against Corruption (IAC) and his erstwhile close associates including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Kiran Bedi in the national capital amid indications of a spilt in his team.
In today’s meeting, Anna Hazare will seek the opinion of his close aides about the future course of action in his fight against corruption and make his stand clear about giving an alternative to voters during the 2014 Parliament Elections.
Anna Hazare yesterday made it clear that he does not support the anti-corruption movement taking a political plunge and told Arvind Kejriwal that he cannot expect the activist’s support for all his candidates.
Hazare’s remarks came during his address to a group of supporters, who are opposed to the anti-corruption movement taking a political plunge.
“I had told Arvind (last month during Jantar Mantar agitation) that if you want to form a party, you go ahead but I will not be part of that.
This was the third time that Hazare has openly disagreed with the formation of a party, first in a video post and then through a blog on Sunday.
The movement has come a full circle since its inception in April last year when Hazare struck a chord with common man’s against corruption but it started losing steam after December due to its political ambitions.
“If they want to launch a party, let them do it. We don’t bother. We will not go with them. It is not our way… Many people have told me that they want to fight polls.
“I have told them that if you want to fight elections, you go and fight. I am not with you in this,” he said in an apparent reference to Kejriwal’s team, which published survey results claiming overwhelming support for formation of a party.
Expressing doubts about the movement changing colours, he invoked JP Movement and wondered how would have Jai Prakash Narain known that the movement will produce a “leader like Lalu Prasad”.
“JP has led a tremendous movement. How would he have known that the same movement will produce a leader like Lalu Prasad. What is the guarantee that we will not have such a person,” Hazare said.
He said he had taken a vow at the age of 26 years to live his life for the country and die for the country. “I have also taken a vow that I will not form a party or contest elections,” he said.
Before his arrival in Delhi, he held a meeting with activists in Pune on how to take forward the movement.
–PTI