Lokpal fiasco - Government's loss, Anna's gain?

Ralegan Siddhi: For a team that was on the back-foot after a poor show in Mumbai and Delhi, the fiasco in Rajya Sabha was exactly what it needed. However, in Ralegan Siddhi, Anna Hazare preferred to stay away from the cameras and in Delhi, his team remained tight-lipped about its strategy. One thing was certain - there are no immediate plans of yet another fast.

Team Anna member Kiran Bedi when asked if there is another fast in the pipeline, she retorted and said, "No, no, no. Anna has to recover."

While they kept everyone guessing over their next move, Team Anna did not miss the opportunity to slam the government, accusing it of conspiracy and betrayal.

RTI Activist and Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal said, "It was conspiracy between RJD and Congress."

But the team seems to have come to a compromise. If amendments moved by the BJP and the CPM on the appointment and removal of Lokpal and independence of CBI were accepted, it was ready to live without the Lokayukta.

Another member of the team Shanti Bhushan said, "We would have been happy even without the Lokayukta being incorporated if the government had agreed to amendments on the process of appointment and removal of Lokayukta and independence of the CBI."

In Ralegan Siddhi, Anna's health remains a prime concern, on it, his aides say, will depend the team's next move. But ahead of that core committee meet, the hope certainly is that the development in Parliament will give a fresh impetus to Anna's proposed five poll-bound states.

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