Team Anna suffered a vertical split Wednesday with Anna Hazare and some top activists choosing to part ways with Arvind Kejriwal and his cronies, opposing their plans to form a political party. The anti-corruption crusader asked Kejriwal not to use his name and photos in his protests any more.
After a roller-coaster ride of 18 months in which they came together to run a high-voltage anti-graft movement, the group led by Hazare had acrimonious discussions with Kejriwal and his group, including Prashant Bhushan and Shanti Bhushan on the issue of forming a political party.
“It is unfortunate that Team Anna has separated,” Hazare said, announcing the separation. The formal parting of ways came two days after Kejriwal made public the result of a ‘referendum’ in which 76 per cent of the respondents reportedly supported formation of a political party.
Hazare rejected the results of the poll conducted through SMSes and social media like Facebook.
Hazare has been against politicisation of the movement from the beginning and on Wednesday instructed the Kejriwal’s India Against Corruption (IAC) not to use his name and photographs for their campaigns or elections. “I’ve told Kejriwal I won’t contest. I’m willing to support your candidates if they’re good. But not just any candidate put up by you. Only if someone’s really good,” Hazare added.
In a bid to tone down the criticism of Kejriwal’s decision to turn the movement political, Hazare said: “Our paths are different. But our destination and ultimate goals are the same. I’ve taken two vows in life. One is to serve my country. The other is never to contest an election.”
