Noida:
The core team of Anna Hazare met in Noida today, amid reports of a friction between its members over the Gandhian Activist tying up with Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev for a joint rally on June 3 in New Delhi.
Several reports suggest that many of Anna Hazare's core team members are unhappy with this tie-up. Sources within the team have told NDTV that they were not informed about this tie-up either by Mr Hazare or Baba Ramdev.
Both the activists addressed a press conference in Gurgaon on Friday, announcing a fast on June 3. They said they will share stage in the future on various issues like Jan Lokpal Bill and black money. They have applied for a permission to hold the fast at Jantar Mantar in Delhi - a venue where Anna Hazare has held quite a few protests since last year.
Baba Ramdev had, however, rubbished the reports of friction in the Anna Hazare camp over the tie-up with him. Addressing the joint press conference on Friday, Baba Ramdev said the two were very much together "till the last breath."
With the anti-graft Lokpal Bill still to see light of day at the Centre, Anna Hazare has changed tack. His new ultimatum is - bring Lokayukta in Maharashtra. Once a Lokayukta law is in place in the state, ruled by the Congress, which also rules at the Centre, Mr Hazare reckons an anti-graft law will be brought at the Centre too.
So beginning May 1, the septuagenarian Gandhian said on Friday, "We will visit 35 zillas in Maharashtra... to awaken people against corruption."
Baba Ramdev, meanwhile, said he will tour other places in the country. The month-long effort, Mr Hazare said, was just the beginning of a crusade. "Post June, we will tour the country together... In the next one and a half years, the more we come together, the more we will be able awaken people by 2014, the next general elections," he said.
Both slammed the Central government but insisted their efforts were not aimed at felling it but rather at re-awakening the people. "This is related to the people of this country, not any party or group," Mr Hazare said.
He also said that he was in good health and he would ensure that it would not let him down. Anna had to call off his fast at the MMRDA Grounds in Mumbai in December last year due to reported health problems.