The decision to launch a political party would be taken on October 2 only if there was agreement on it by the majority of Team Anna members, including activist Anna Hazare said Manish Sisodia, a key member of India Against Corruption. "Discussions are going on with IAC members. At the marathon meeting today, the majority was in favour of forming a political party," Sisodia told reporters.
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.
Maharashtra Police have reviewed the security provided to Gandhian Anna Hazare in the backdrop of attacks on his two key aides, Director General of Police K Subramanyam said on Wednesday.
Prominent Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal admitted to a group of journalists on Wednesday that they too have made many mistakes during the course of Anna Hazare-led anti-corruption movement.
Noting that there was no difference between Anna Hazare and the government on the need to fight corruption, Congress today welcomed Team Anna's decision not to campaign against any political party but against the issue of graft in five poll-bound states.
Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has dubbed as political rape Anna Hazare's "five-star, corporate hunger strike for trivial causes" and dismissed Team Anna members as a bunch of "worthless" persons.
Justice Santosh Hegde, a member of Team Anna, is not in favour of activist Anna Hazare and his supporters joining politics. He explains why he so stringently opposes the idea to rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa
Slamming Team Anna, Union Minister V Narayanasamy on Saturday said there was lack of unity among members of Anna Hazare's team and dismissed the charge that the government was trying to break it.
Team Anna yet to plan campaign against Congress in five poll-bound states. Toral Varia Deshpande reports.
Arvind Kejriwal and two of his supporters are scheduled to go on an indefinite fast from July 25. But this round of fasting will not only not include Anna Hazare, it would also be without the platform of India Against Corruption's Facebook page.
The records of the debate are expected to be sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee examining the Lokpal Bill
'Like the Iranian religious supremo, Anna Hazare demands supreme power and he dreams that with the present dysfunctional government, he could wield power from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and everybody would just obey his fiats,' says Govind Talwalkar
Highly placed sources in the Congress party state that on the Anna Hazare issue, the government began moving only after party chief Sonia Gandhi's intervention made through Rahul Gandhi.
Vishwa Hindu Parishad on Tuesday gave its support to Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption but said it was involved in the movement "only as patriots".
Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Saturday said Anna Hazare is "under the influence of people who have their separate political agenda" and asked Team Anna to wait for the decision of Parliament before attacking party leader Rahul Gandhi on the Lokpal Bill.
Nearly 250 Indian Americans on Thursday took a day off from work to express their support for activist Anna Hazare's fight against corruption by holding a demonstration at the Indian Consulate in San Francisco.
Suspecting a 'foreign' hand behind Anna Hazare's anti-graft movement, Congress on Wednesday raised questions on the US' statement that India would exercise 'appropriate democratic restraint' in dealing with peaceful protest and asked the government to inquire how a 'lone' civil rights activist is drawing support.
Press Council Chairman Justice Markandey Katju on Saturday said anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare lacks the scientific ideas that are needed to solve the problem of graft.
What Delhi does, Mumbai can do better, a mammoth gathering of activist Anna Hazare's supporters proved. Sanchari Bhattacharya reports.
What Delhi does, Mumbai can do better, a mammoth gathering of activist Anna Hazare's supporters proved recently
Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal has alleged that the government was spending crores of rupees and planting stories in the media to separate Anna Hazare from him, Kiran Bedi and Prashant Bhushan. Accusing the government of trying to defame Team Anna with charges that would not stick, he said during a programme on TV channel Aaj Tak that "there's a conspiracy to separate Anna Hazare". "The government is spending crores of rupees for this. Stories are being planted," he said.
Uma Bharti, who recently made a comeback to Bharatiya Janata Party, on Tuesday said the United Progressive Alliance government was deliberately 'discrediting' Anna Hazare and Baba Ramdev for channelising growing discontent among common people against the UPA government.
The people of Kashmir are strong enough to handle the National Conference. But what about the soul-searching Congress, asks Aditi Phadnis
Shooting off another letter to Anna Hazare on the eve of Hisar bypoll, Digvijay Singh, who is leading Congress' counter-attack, on Wednesday, raised the issue of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh support to the activist and cautioned him that those around him were keeping him in dark.
Declaring government's commitment to a strong Lokpal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said Anna Hazare's demand for 'right to reject' provision in electoral law needs political consensus.
Social activist and close aide of Anna Hazare, Prashant Bhushan, said that the move would help their cause and will let people know the truth.
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is all set to copy anti-corruption crusaders Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal's strategy to mobilise crowd to make his proposed fast for 'sadbhavna' a super success.
Lashing out at Team Anna for its anti-Congress propaganda, Uttar Pradesh Congress Chief president Rita Bahuguna Joshi
Anna Hazare, who called off his two-day fast in Mumbai for a strong Lokpal Bill due to failing health and poor public response, on Thursday left for his native Ralegan Siddhi village
Rediff.com's Shubir Rishi visits the MMRDA ground in Mumbai - Anna Hazare's fast venue - late on Tuesday night to get a feel of the mood among the protestors. He shares his experience.
There was minor improvement in Anna Hazare's health on Wednesday as his fever subsided to 100 degrees from 102 degrees on Tuesday night even as his close associates continued to press him to end his fast.
Anna Hazare, who is suffering from fever, on Tuesday refused to give up his fast despite requests from close aides.
Irom Sharmila, who has been on fast close to 11 years to demand the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act(AFSPA) in Manipur, feels Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption is "somewhat artificial."
Under attack for his comments on Anna Hazare, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari on Wednesday opted out of the Parliamentary Standing Committee going into the Lokpal issue even as Bharatiya Janata Party inducted two new members in the panel being reconstituted after its term ended today.
Anna Hazare fever gripped India and Lokpal became the buzzword. But after the 12-day rollercoaster, will the government keep its promises? Once implemented, will the Lokpal become just another anti-corruption law, asks Ganesh Nadar
Fresh signs of trouble emerged on the Lokpal issue on Saturday with activist Anna Hazare and his aides terming as a "betrayal" the government's refusal to pass a resolution over the issue, response that the Parliament after the debate will not pass the resolution, which is their prime demand.
Lok Satta party president Dr Jayaprakash Narayan may have his differences with Anna Hazare over the Lokpal Bill, but he salutes the Gandhian's efforts to bring the youth and the middle class to the forefront of the anti-corruption movement. Sheela Bhatt reports
'Reservations are anathema to many of the core supporters of Anna Hazare.'
Following a meeting of Congress Parliamentary Party, where some members felt that leaders from Maharashtra should be roped in to talk to the 74-year-old Gandhian, Deshmukh drove to Ramlila Maidan to meet Hazare but maintained that it was "in his personal capacity."
'Much of what we call corruption is but a side effect of a deeper malaise. The chalta-hai attitude and its innovative twin jugaad. Shortcuts have become endemic. Every shortcut we take compromises a principle, corrodes an institution and sets a wrong precedent,' says Shashi Shekhar.
