Eight Union ministers, two former chief ministers and one ex-governor are among those who are set to test their electoral fate in the first phase of elections on April 19 when 102 seats across 21 states and Union territories will go to polls.
With Team Anna under attack for levelling allegations against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday asked Anna Hazare to leave the group, which is in the grip of "Naxalite minded crazies" and join him and Ramdev in the fight against graft.
Breaking his silence over claims by a section of Team Anna members that Hazare was against forming a political party, activist Arvind Kejriwal alleged a "propaganda machinery" was working overtime to "drive a wedge" between Hazare and other activists
Hazare has served an ultimatum that he will wait for the government to take a decision on their demands in the next four days or else he will join his colleagues on fast from Sunday
From the appointment of Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states, giving pension to farmers whose age is more than sixty years, his demands are diverse this time.
Even as Wednesday's serial low-intensity blasts in Pune may have managed to divert attention from Team Anna's ongoing anti-graft protest, police continue to look for clues into the attack.
As thousands gathered at Jantar Mantar to support Team Anna's fight for the Jan Lokpal Bill, Anna Hazre joined other fasting members, while Arvind Kejriwal released his book titled Swaraj. Priyanka reports.
Team Anna's indefinite fast against the United Progressive Alliance government entered the third day on Friday with crowds still keeping away from the protest site where some people misbehaved with women media persons.
A group of people, who claimed to be National Students' Union Of India activists, created ruckus at Team Anna's fast venue at Jantar Mantar by shouting solgans against Anna Hazare prompting the volunteers to remove them from the venue.
A group of people, who claimed to be National Students' Union Of India activists, created ruckus at Team Anna's fast venue at Jantar Mantar by shouting solgans against Anna Hazare prompting the volunteers to remove them from the venue.
Team Anna on Sunday claimed they have "proof" of corruption against Pranab Mukherjee and it would be made public on July 25 when they launch an indefinite fast coinciding with his swearing-in as the President.
In focus are the assembly polls in 2026. From a BJP perspective, their attack on the ruling DMK, using the 'Hindutva' card, and Annamalai's targeting of both Dravidian majors on corruption has not worked, points out N Sathiya Moorthy.
It also asked why the data shared pertained to a period from April 2019 even though the scheme for anonymous political funding was introduced in 2017.
A "disgruntled" volunteer of Team Anna today attempted self-immolation at the fast site of Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev, alleging that he was mistreated by prominent members of India Against Corruption. The volunteer, donning a Team Anna T-shirt and cap and carrying a mega phone, surfaced at the media enclosure of the protest site at Jantar Mantar around 12:15 pm when a close aide of Ramdev was speaking on black money.
Incumbent DMK MP T Sumathy alias Tamizhachi Thangapandian will face-off former Telangana Governor and BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan, while the the AIADMK has fielded ex-MP Dr J Jayavardhan, who won from here in 2014.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday welcomed the decision of Team Anna to form a political party with the aim of fighting corruption, misgovernance and misrule, saying it supports any fight against these ills.
Anna Hazare has invited Army Chief Gen V K Singh to join his team after his retirement to fight corruption.
The Bharatiya Janata Party also slammed Kejriwal's continuation as the chief minister of Delhi despite being under arrest, saying it is the most unfortunate moment in the country's political journey and the worst kind of politics.
The team held two rounds of talks at the protest site of Jantar Mantar, where Anna Hazare's fast entered the fourth day and that of Kejriwal, Rai and Manish Sisodia entered the eighth day.
Here are the highlights from the world athletics showpiece...
Anti-corruption activist and member of disbanded Team Anna, Arvind Kejriwal, said his team fully backed the agitation against Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant.
Hitting out at the government for calling Team Anna members "anti-national", the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday said it is not right and unjustified to level such allegations against those critical of the policies of the United Progressive Alliance dispensation.
Denying reports that Anna Hazare had close connections with the late Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangha leader Nanaji Deshmukh, key Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said it was part of Congress' "tactics" to divert attention from the Lokpal Bill.
Former Army chief Gen V K Singh will share dais with Anna Hazare and offer juice to the 74-year-old activist to break his six-day long fast.
Delhi Police has refused permission for Team Anna to hold an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar from July 25, saying the protest timing coincides with the monsoon session of Parliament when other outfits will also have to be accommodated at the spot.
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday made light of Team Anna's plans to make a foray into politics by fighting the Delhi Assembly polls next year saying all sorts of candidates including Independents contest the election.
Urging Team Anna to change its decision of joining electoral politics, prominent Team Anna member and peasant leader Akhil Gogoi on Saturday said, "Otherwise, the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti will have to take an independent stand".
External Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Tuesday urged activist Anna Hazare and his associates to contest general elections. "They should contest the elections so that we all know who has the support of the people," he said. Hazare and members of his team have gone on an indefinite fast at Jantar Mantar in Delhi to seek the implementation of the Lokpal Bill.
The government said relief activities have been expedited and that efforts to pump out stagnant water were on in different places in the city.
Team Anna met in Noida on Monday amid a rift between them and yoga guru over the treatment meted out to Arvind Kejriwal in public and differences within them over attacking Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
In 2019, actor turned-politician Sumalatha Ambareesh, an independent backed by the BJP, won by defeating then Kumaraswamy's son and joint candidate of the then ruling Congress-JD-S alliance Nikhil by 1,25,876 votes.
Social activist Anna Hazare said that instead of fending off allegations now, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal should have checked the background of his principal secretary.
Veteran social activist Anna Hazare is all set to launch his second fast against corruption in New Delhi from August 16. He, and his followers, are peeved by the government's shrewd strategies to quell the civil society movement for a stronger Jan Lokpal Bill.
The All India Congress Committee and Digvijay Singh again appeared to be not on the same page -- this time on the issue of seeking cooperation from Team Anna over exposing some of the dealings of two Gujarat businessmen allegedly close to the Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in the state.
Team Anna on Friday said it will not compromise on the issue of corruption, claiming that its fight was meant to change the system, not gain power."Anna is a hero of the people. How long he can remain deaf to the voice of the people? He has taken a decision to challenge the political class," a statement posted on the India Against Corruption website said.
Criticising Arvind Kejriwal for taking support from Congress to form government in Delhi, yoga guru Ramdev on Tuesday alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party convener became the chief minister of Delhi by "hijacking Anna Hazare's movement".
Tricolours, Anna caps, patriotic songs -- a day-long protest by Anna Hazare at Jantar Mantar on Sunday demanding justice for whistleblowers, who were killed, fighting corruption, had all its usual ingredients.
A day after Anna Hazare called off his agitations on Lokpal, Team Anna on Thursday admitted that his fast did not create the desired pressure on government and said there was no point in passing this "completely useless" bill.
Anna Bond is Puneeth's film all the way. Cinematographer Satya Hegde's frames are superb and tight.
'Modi is trying avenues to convince people why they should vote for the BJP.'
