Team Anna on Tuesday appeared set to oppose UPA in the next Lok Sabha elections saying its mission is to ensure that “new and apt people” come to power in the 2014 polls. It also attacked the BJP alleging that it supported the Team earlier with a political motive.
The posturing came on a day when Anna Hazare regretted the attack on media by his supporters on Monday night and warned that he will call off his fast if they again indulge in violence.
Even as the 74-year-old activist’s fast entered the third day and the health condition of two of his aides worsened after fasting for seven days, there were no signs of government initiating a dialogue with Team Anna to end the crisis.
Team Anna member Prashant Bhushan alleged that the government wanted people like Anna Hazare to die so that they can continue to “loot the country“.
Government, on its part, said the Prime Minister’s Office has written two letters to Anna Hazare under the advice of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. “What is stated in the letter is the government’s position to the best of my knowledge,” the then Home Minister P. Chidambaram told reporters.
The doctors also advised Arvind Kejriwal and Gopal Rai, who are fasting for the past seven days, to get hospitalised as their health condition worsened, a request rejected by both saying they were “not cowards who will give up because of health concerns“.
“I am warning the government not to try to arrest us and force us to go to hospital,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
Political statements from the dais came from Kiran Bedi and Kumar Vishwas, with one taking on UPA in a veiled manner and the other attacking BJP in the open.
“This mission will not stop till the 2014 elections, till the time new and apt people come in power. We have to go till end which is 2014 when people with Anna’s blessings will come to power. Till then, our responsibility is to spread these words,” Ms. Bedi said.
Referring to BJP Chief Nitin Gadkari’s reported comments that Team Anna should not target the system in general, Mr. Vishwas said, “They supported our movement earlier but not now. I just want to say you were there in support because you had your own political motives. His party was with us because they thought it will help them win elections in five states.”
