Parties hail Team Anna’s move to fight polls in Delhi

Both the congress and the bjp feel that team anna’s entry into electoral fray will dent their rivals’ chances.

Contrary to popular perception that Team Anna would make a dent into the votebank of political parties, their proposed entry to the next Delhi assembly elections has been welcomed by all political outfits.

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Before taking the plunge in 2014 general elections, Team Anna is likely to test political waters first in next year's Delhi assembly polls. Sources in India Against Corruption (IAC) said a large number of volunteers, in a meeting on Saturday, pitched in for fighting the Delhi assembly elections first.

BJP's state unit head Vijender Gupta said BJP's fight to replace the Congress will only get strengthened if Team Anna will contest assembly polls.

"It will only benefit the BJP as we also want to provide an alternative to the people. If members of Team Anna will contest the elections, it will only damage the vote prospects of the Congress. The BJP is only going to benefit from this," said Gupta, welcoming their move to contest elections.

However, senior BJP leader and MLA Jagdish Mukhi said the move would have only been effective had Anna decided to contest the elections.

"So far we had heard that Team Anna was looking into the possibility of forming a political party. However, Anna Hazare soon made his position clear that he has no agenda to join politics and he dissolved Team Anna too. Those who have decided to contest elections have no credibility and will only misuse it, if given power. This move of IAC will have no effect on the BJP's prospects," he said.

Senior Congress leader, on the other hand, claimed that Team Anna's move will affect BJP severely. "In a democracy everyone has the right to contest elections and if members of IAC want to contest assembly elections they should. It is a reason for worry for the BJP, which first took part in their agitation and then quickly distanced itself from them. It will only affect BJP and they need to worry about it," said Mukesh Sharma, senior Congress MLA.