Anna rattles team, Kejriwal is Ralegan bound

The anti-graft activist Anna Hazare's announcement of a new action plan on Thursday has rattled the members of the disbanded Team Anna. So much so that a few of them led by Arvind Kejriwal is rushing to Ralegan Siddhi on Saturday to talk to Hazare in this regard.

Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and few other members of the team will go to Hazare's native village on Saturday to clear the confusion over the next steps for the anti-graft movement. Sources said that the former team members would appeal to Hazare to clarify all the issues publicly and to support his former team.     

On Friday, the members of the now dysfunctional Team Anna were not willing to speak much on the matter, hoping that things would be settled and Hazare would back the political alternative announced during July agitation at Jantar Mantar.  

Some team members said that the news about Hazare's next move in the media was distorted, while some others admitted that such statements from Hazare created confusion in the minds of people as well as the former team members. 

Sanjay Singh, one of the core members of the former Team Anna told Millennium Post, 'Anna Hazare ji had spoken about the political alternative during the July agitation at Jantar Mantar. Although he had made it clear at that time itself that he would not be the part of the political alternative but he said that he would back it. Now, I have no idea what is going through his mind and what his apprehensions are. I hope that things would be clear after Arvindji's meeting with Annaji.'  

The India Against Corruption spokesperson Aswathi Muralidharan said on Friday, 'Tomorrow morning a team led by Arvind Kejriwal is going to Ralegan Siddhi to talk to Annaji and clarify issues.' On Thursday, Hazare announced a new action plan, saying that there was no need from any party to contest elections to provide an alternative to the people. The new action plan talks about appealing people to vote for the right candidate instead of forming a political party. 

Hazare had earlier dissolved Team Anna, saying that the purpose for which it was formed was over, so there was no need for it in the changed circumstances. Ever since the announcement, the disbanded team has been trying to convince that Hazare is very much with their decision of providing a political alternative to people. Two of the better-known former Team Anna members – Kiran Bedi and Santosh Hegde – have opposed the formation of a political party on numerous occassions.