Member of the erstwhile Team Anna Santosh Hegde admitted here on Wednesday that there were sharp differences between the Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal camps.
Mr. Hegde was responding to journalists after he emerged from a meeting the anti-corruption activists had with prominent citizens, mediapersons and retired judges.
At the end of the marathon session, Mr. Kejriwal was seen with Mr. Hazare and Kiran Bedi, but he did not address the media. Said Mr. Hazare: “I have told those who have been advocating for a political party that you go ahead. If they think they will get a majority in the next Parliament, they have my good wishes but I will have nothing to do with the political party.’’
So sharp are the differences that a joint statement drafted in the meeting was not read out.
When a reporter remarked that the government now need not spend any money in dividing the anti-corruption movement that has divided on its own, Mr. Hazare said: “It is unfortunate. I tried hard to keep the team united since last several years, but we are splitting.’’
The venue of the meet — Constitution Club — was made out of bounds for the media, and a heavy posse of police in uniform and mufti were posted outside. “We are here to give protection to Mr. Hazare,’’ said a policeman who even invited this correspondent for lunch, when the hosts did not. Asked if this was a “sarkari’’ function, the policeman laughed.
