In the most candid admission of Team Anna's political ambitions, Arvind Kejriwal has said a non-Congress, non-Bharatiya Janata Party people's front will be put up in the 2014 polls, which will be backed by Anna Hazare and his team.
Speaking to Rahul Kanwal on Aaj Tak's Seedhi Baat show, Kejriwal said, "Candidates will come out from among the people who are agitated with existing political parties. A non-Congress, non-BJP front will emerge made up of these candidates. Team Anna will support them."
He went on to say, "There's going to be a revolution in 2014. It's not going to be about change of party or change of face. It's going to be about changing the system. Our movement has raised some fundamental questions in the country on our political system."
And he gives all credit for this to Hazare who, he says, channelised the anger of the people through the movement. "The next elections will turn into a movement. The movement on the streets will enter Parliament. We are part of this movement on the streets. In the next year and a half, a leader will emerge who will become the alternative."
Kejriwal says he and Hazare would surely support it. "If a good alternative emerges, I will support it. Anna will also support it. He will campaign too."
Kejriwal says Team Anna's rallies, in the build up to the stir beginning on July 25, has shown that people are against all political parties. In this context, he said merely removing the Congress will not bring Lokpal.
"We are concerned that the BJP will take benefit of the people's anger against the Congress. Even if the BJP comes to power, they will not bring the Lokpal. The BJP is not sincere. It has the same character as the Congress. That is why we want an alternate people's front to emerge. Replacing the Congress with the BJP is of no use."
When pressed about a clandestine meeting of three Team Anna members in Mandi, Himachal Pradesh to plot the roadmap to set up candidates in the state's assembly polls, Kejriwal smiles, and after a long pause, says no such meeting had taken place.
Kejriwal also says he would have no problem if Baba Ramdev launched himself into politics, as indicated by the yoga guru. "I don't know what's on his mind. But if he's thinking of entering politics, there's nothing wrong. It's not going to politicise the Jan Lokpal movement because his campaign against black money and ours, are different."
The Team Anna member says the agitation beginning on July 25 will be the launch of the second war of independence in the run up to the 2014 polls. The stir is to put forth an interim demand to set up a probe under retired SC judged against 15 'corrupt' ministers.
"This is in the short term. The long term goal is to make it an issue in the 2014 polls to change the government." Hazare had been asked by the team not to go on an indefinite fast because of his poor health. This time, Kejriwal and the rest will be on fast.
