As the Congress suffered a major blow in the elections to five States, Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Tuesday claimed that the opposition to an effective Lokpal cost the party dearly and took a dig at its top leaders.
In her tweets, Ms. Bedi said when congress started to use power “to discredit” the anti-corruption movement, it put its own grassroot workers on the defensive.
“Congress appeared to be suffering today ‘also’ because it was blatantly against effective Lokpal bill. And still is!” she said.
Hitting out at the Congress leadership, she said, “People need their political representatives to communicate with them and not read written speeches. Voters punish them.”
Referring to Rahul Gandhi, she asked organisations are built through consistent authentic nurturing leadership and where was that in Congress.
“Had national parties focussed on rampant corruption, providing strong Lokayuktas, people would have rewarded them. No one did! All had skeletons. It is the control over CBI by Congress which will provide the tacit support of Maya and Mulayam to Congress,” she said.
She said the Congress at the Centre not only needs to understand what has gone wrong but what is right at all? “Huge corruption has cost it heavily,” she claimed.
“Rahul Gandhi’s speech in Parliament on Lokpal will remain a gamechanger. Had he heard the voices from Ramlila Ground (where Anna Hazare was protesting), the entire country would have been behind him,” she said.
“Recall Badals, BJP, Left parties came to Jantar Mantar and publically committed for independent-effective Lokpal and Lokayuktas. Congress did not,” she said.
Keywords: Assembly Elections 2012, U.P. Assembly polls, Team Anna, Kiran Bedi, Lokpal Bill, Rahul Gandhi
Anudeep Tiwari is right. It is silly for Kiran Bedi to claim that the anti-corruption movement was a factor in the elections. It is remarks like this sort that turn people away from the India Against Corruption movement. It would be sensible if Bedi and Kejiriwal stepped aside to give space for some people with balance minds to lead Team Anna.
I agree completely with the comments made by Mr. Vijay Palaniappan. Team Anna and Congress stand towards Corruption and Lokpal is one of the big factors which worked against Congress in this election. But many media analysis in mainstream channels doesn't consider this issue while analysing Congress failure in this Elections.
Dear Kiran Bedi,
Congress never learns a lesson. It has been repeating mistakes. It comes to power due to mistakes of BJP and other opposition parties and non-unity amongst them.
It is absolutely non-sense. Why congress won thump-down in Manipur? Why improved its tally in Uttarkhand, Punjab and UP? People in fact rejected Hazare. Why BJP was rejected, that supported Hazare? In UP rejected SC chief minister and accepted BC chief minister, though both the parties corrupt to core. The results are the outcome of local realities and nothing to do with Lok Pal or Hazare? Let Hazare troupe soul search before making such statements. In Andhra Pradesh we are facing severe behome in judiciary -- corrupt are escaping from the judiciary with "not before me", why his troupe made a single statement on this. The same was followed in Supreme Court by Relience. Is it because these corrupt are behind you?
Still Team Anna effort is there in under-current, political parties
and media do not want admit openly. They drew reasonable crowd in
their meetings in these poll-bound states. Lack of choice to the
voters, difficult procedure of 49(0) etc.. did not make much impact on
the voting patterns besides a increase in voting percentage.
2014 election will be tough one for UPA, another opportunity or may be
a threat for NDA. Team Anna will pose challenges for all political
parties in terms of awareness campaign about corruption, lokpal,
criminal background, black money etc. It will make hard for political
parties to convince voters using old formulas of caste, religion,
freebies etc..
In TN, already few parties (MDMK, DMDK) started talking about
Lokyukthas in their manifestos. It is a impact of Team Anna.
Congress is defeated now what? Will new government be more effective in uprooting corruption?
Team Anna should rise above these silly political comments and they should empower the people to think above mere party politics. Their actions are not fruitful at all. Defeat of congress has nothing much to do with Anna effect. They are now talking in revenge mood. Any way, there are many other issues that are relevent in the current India and we need to make those matters to the public forum and get support. Also should look at the rural education and eradication of poverty... In these sectors they should draw the attention of the govt. It is not enought to make one model village and get satisfied. We should work for the whole India irrespective of caste, religion and politics with a true Gandhian mind.
utter Rubbish!!this election proved that corruption was just no criteria among the voters.UP chose SP who themselves never supported lokpal bill..biggest eg. in Uttarakhand.BC Khanduri,the 'honest' figure of BJP in the state lost his constituency inspite of bringing lokayukta in the state!! Neither the performance of the party is something to be cheered,whereas anti-lokpal party COngress had a gain of 11 seats in the state. So,i think the discussion of ANNA FACTOR should come to a halt right now,though they should continue their good work.
Anna Hazare is still living in Fool's paradise. No body ever talked about Lokpal during these elections. It is time for him to understand politics is not his cup of tea.He should retire from politics.
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