Team Anna fails to draw crowds, Hazare eyes LS poll

New Delhi: The indefinite fast by Team Anna against the UPA government on the issue of corruption entered the second day on Thursday. However, the support for Team Anna seems to have dwindled considerably from last year.

The focus and organisation needed to sustain a popular movement seems to be lacking this time round.

At this year's fast, the turnout from supporters has been dismal.

Meanwhile, anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Thursday did not rule the emergence of a "people's party" in 2014 Lok Sabha elections, saying it is not wrong if candidates selected by the people to fight the poll choose to do so.

"I will travel across the country, tell people to come up with candidates and pick the best out of them. I will then campaign for the candidates.

"We will tell the people who the best candidate for them is after putting the names on the net. We will ask them if they want to fight as independents or as one party. Let them decide. There's nothing wrong with a new party being formed," he told a television news channel.

As the crowds were not coming to the Team Anna fast, Hazare rejected the view that his movement was losing steam and said more people would join.

"Neither Congress nor BJP can give a bright future for this country. Till good people are there, there will be no change," he said.

Asked whether he was being pulled in different directions by yoga guru Baba Ramdev and Arvind Kejriwal, he said he was not part of any lobby. "I will support anybody who fights against corruption but the day people begin having selfish aims, I will pull out."

He ruled out approaching the government for talks on Lokpal but added that if the government was still serious about Lokpal, it was welcome to approach Team Anna.

"The public knows which all parties have opposed the Lokpal Bill. They will teach all political parties a lesson in the 2014 elections. They will all be rejected by the people. Right now, the people can t do anything. But wait for the next elections," he said.