Team Anna decides to stick together, may expand

Team Anna, caught in a protracted war between ruling UPA and opposition Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) today decided to stand together to fight the slandering offensive by elements in the ruling Congress party, which is trying to stymie Anna Hazare's tirade against corruption.

Members of Anna Hazare's team, who met to discuss the ongoing controversies raised around them, decided to stick together and present a joint front against attempts to divide them.

The members of the core committee, who met at the office of Arvind Kejriwal-headed Public Cause Research Foundation (PCRF) in Ghaziabad today, also passed a resolution reiterating that the `anti-corruption movement' was not directed at the Congress or any other party.

They, however, defended the anti-Congress campaign in Hisar saying it would not have happened had the prime minister's letter come before the by-poll.

Prashant Bhushan, Shanti Bhushan, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Kiran Bedi were present at the meeting.

Anna Hazare himself, who is undertaking 'Moun Vrat" (silence), as also Medha Patkar, Santosh Hegde and Kumar Vishwas did not attend the meeting.