Team Anna plans campaign, Cong cries foul but BJP happy

Team Anna's proposed three-day campaign to sensitise Uttarakhand voters against corruption is likely to warm up politics in the hill state. Anupam Trivedi reports.

Team Anna's proposed three-day campaign to sensitise Uttarakhand voters against corruption is likely to warm up politics in the hill state.

While the ruling BJP welcomed the move, the Congress dubbed it as an attempt to help the BJP government. Team Anna has been vocal against the Congress, with which it is pitched in a bitter battle over the lokpal bill.

"Why doesn't Hazare say a word against corruption in the BJP government? They (Team Anna) are here only to help the BJP," said Congress spokesperson Surendra Kumar. The Congress has taken on the BJP over corruption under former chief minister Ramesh Pokhriyal.

The BJP, which changed guard just ahead of the polls, has built its poll campaign around CM BC Khanduri's 'clean image'. Hoardings displaying Hazare congratulating Khanduri on appointing Lokayukta are dotting the state.

"Both BJP and Hazare are against corruption and favour transparency. The visit will give an impetus to the movement," said BJP spokesperson Satish Lakhera.

Team Anna's Manish Sisodia, however, ruled out support to any party, on Saturday. "The team - Kiran Bedi, Kumar Viswas, Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal - would neither speak in favour or against any political party," he said. We would ask voters to vote against corruption and on the issue of jan lokpal," Sisodia told HT.

Hazare, however, is unlikely to visit due to health reasons.

Meanwhile, as per unconfirmed reports, Baba Ramdev, who also plans to campaign in poll-bound states, has not decided whether to join Team Anna.