Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) While some of its members appeared perplexed over the disbanding of Team Anna, an official statement of the group Monday said the decision was taken keeping members “in loop”.

“After meeting some of the core committee members and discussing with others, Anna Hazare disbanded his core committee today (Monday),” an official statement from the spokesperson of the now disbanded team said.

The statement said that formation of a “preparatory committee” is under way for the next phase of the movement.

“The committee was formed to negotiate Lokpal bill with the government. Since the movement for Lokpal has now become a movement for total revolution, the core committee met its focused responsibility. In order to prepare for the next phase of the movement, a preparatory committee is under way.”

“This would be very inclusive. It would include people with mass base and representing various sections and movements. Names are yet being discussed. This committee would only prepare a plan for the next phase of the movement,” the statement said.

Team member Kiran Bedi in her comment on Twitter said, “Read Anna’s blog. Do not know what all it means? For we all had very useful preparatory meeting with Annaji wherein he gave useful guidance!”

Another comment from her read: “Each of us in whatever way we can have to take responsibility for our duties towards d country! I guess Anna is placing d (the) onus back on us!”

When contacted by IANS, she said the tweets expressed her feelings for now.

TV news channel Times Now quoted another key member, Arvind Kejriwal as saying it was “collectively decided yesterday (Sunday) by Anna in our meeting of core committee”.

Kejriwal did not respond when IANS made phone calls to him.

Another member, Manish Sisodia refused any direct comment on the decision.

“Annaji has written everything in the blog; there is nothing to add. For more information regarding the decision, only Anna can talk,” Sisodia told IANS.

Team member Santosh Hegde, former Supreme Court judge and ex-Team Anna member, meanwhile, told a news channel that he was surprised by the decision to disband the group.

“I was against the political move… If at all it his decision to go in for a political party, he must have decided to end the group.”

Meanwhile, Aswathi Muralidharan, India Against Corruption (IAC) media coordinator, said: “Annaji had conducted a brief meeting yesterday (Sunday) with the team members. All the Team Anna members were kept in the loop on the decision to disband Team Anna.”

Anna Hazare, in his blog published Monday, announced disbanding Team Anna, and also warned team members that the political party that was to be formed should not become like other existing parties, with money and power as its aim.

Hazare refused to make any further comments and asked the reporters to “wait and watch”.