Chastened, Team Anna may shun Ramdev

Anti-corruption campaign seeks to widen ambit

Team Anna members met here on Sunday for the first time after they ended their indefinite fast and discussed strategy for evolving a political alternative.

In a bid to seek a secular alternative, Team Anna has started distancing itself from Baba Ramdev. “We are yet to receive an invite. We will see, when it comes,” said Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal when asked about their participation in Ramdev’s fast starting at Jantar Mantar on Thursday.

As a first step towards reaching out to like-minded people and convince them to join the new political alternative, India Against Corruption on Sunday released Anna Hazare’s open letter which said “it is necessary to send good people to Parliament.”

Hazare clarified how 40 years ago he had decided not to contest an election or launch a political party, however, the people have started demanding that if the government was not listening to them, he should give alternative.

“If the people of character do not enter Parliament, how can it perform it duty, fulfil its commitment to the people,” he asked. Hazare has again reiterated that he will not contest elections or launch party.

Team Anna members, it is learnt, discussed issues like the name of the organisation or party and its constitution during the meeting.

Besides Hazare, Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Kiran Bedi, Prashant Bhushan, Shanti Bhushan, Kumar Vishwas and Sanjay Singh attended the meeting.

Political analyst Yogendra Yadav, who has been consistently insisting on forming a new political alternative, also attended the meeting. “This was an informal meeting. We came here to thank Hazare and enquire about his health,” Bedi told reporters.

Asked whether there was any discussion about the name of the political party, Kejriwal said: “I have received almost 500 text messages regarding the name.”

When asked whether “Swaraj Party” is one of their choices, he said many have suggested it.