Kejriwal loses all rights to Brand Anna

All attempts made by Arvind Kejriwal to retain the anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare within the ambit of the India Against Corruption came a cropper on Wednesday, with the reformer from Ralegan Siddhi making clear that even his name could not be used to promote the fortunes of the political party which Kejriwal proposes to float. 

Hazare dismissed the survey carried out by the IAC, which claimed that 76 per cent of the respondents were in favour of forming the political party. Hazare said after the meeting, 'I am not joining any political party nor supporting one. It is unfortunate that the team which I handled for two years is breaking now. But our paths are different now. I give my best wishes to Arvind's political party. But, they cannot use my name and photos for their political party. I will not go for their campaign. I have told them not to use my photo or my name in their campaign. You fight on your own.'

Sources said that Kejriwal used every possible trick in the book for nine-long hours – from cajoling Hazare to plain talk – to ensure that the 73-year crusader did not part ways, but he failed to cut ice. Hazare declared in the evening, 'My best wishes are with those taking the political path. There is no harm in it. If they think that they can get majority in Parliament, it is good.... The paths have been separated. Both of us have chosen our separate paths.'

The marathon meeting was attended by all former members of Team Anna and during the deliberations, Hazare, backed by Kiran Bedi and Santosh Hegde, told the pro-political party group that they were free to form a political party. The nine-hour-long deliberation also witnessed scenes like a section alleging that Hazare was exploited by the Kejriwal group. It was countered by others saying, 'People in Delhi have made Anna what he is now.'