'Exposed Team Anna open to forming political party': Narayanasamy

Bangalore - Asserting that Team Anna's agenda is now exposed before the people of this country, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office, V. Narayanasamy, on Friday said civil society activists are even open to forming their own political party and to contesting elections.

Narayanasamy said Team Anna's intentions have now come to the fore during the agitation at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
 
"They told very openly that they are forming a political party. Their intentions are now exposed today, because they found that hardly 50 to 100 people are attending their hunger strike," said Narayanasamy.

"The person sitting in hunger strike, the people who are sitting in hunger strike, they are going out and taking rest in Maharashtra sadan. Team Anna people, who are sitting in hunger strike there, they go and take rest in Maharashtra sadan," he added.

Narayanasamy also accused Team Anna of fooling the nation.

"They are trying to divert the attention of the people of this country. They don't want investment in this country. They don't want the country to prosper. Now, they are exposed to the people, their agenda has been exposed," said Narayanasamy.

"If they want let them form a party, let them fight election, let them come to the people. There are 750 Members of Parliament elected by the people of this country," he added.

Hazare had earlier on Thursday did not rule the emergence of a 'people's party' in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, and said it is not wrong if candidates selected by the people to fight the poll choose to do so.

Hazare said he was willing to enter politics if people demanded and they could put up candidates to contest in elections.

Narayanasamy said the UPA Government remains committed to pass a strong and effective Lokpal Bill.

"In fact, the honourable Prime Minister was very keen, honourable UPA chairperson was also very keen, so that we could pass the Lokpal Bill in the Lok Sabha. In spite of the opposition being created by the BJP and other political parties, we ensured that the bill is passed in Lok Sabha," he added.

Narayanasamy further said the government's intentions were very clear, and added that it wanted to pass the Lokpal Bill as early as possible in the Rajya Sabha as well. 

He said the government tried its best to ensure that the anti-graft bill is passed in the Rajya Sabha by consensus.

"In the Rajya Sabha, we don't have the numbers. We talked to all the political parties. They had some differences on five-six provisions of the Lokpal Bill. In fact, the regional parties say you have no powers to pass the bill for Lokayukta, which is in the domain of the state governments," said Narayanasamy.

"All these issues were there. Therefore, when the bill came up for discussion in the last session of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, we got the bill by consensus referred to the select committee. Now, the   select committee is looking into the Lokpal Bill," he added.

Team Anna has launched their indefinite fast in New Delhi on Wednesday, raising the pitch against the UPA government on the issue of corruption.

Hazare's three close aides, Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai, are sitting on a hunger strike at the Jantar Mantar here.

The 74-year-old social activist, who is presently on a dharna, has set a 96-hour-long deadline for the government to announce a strong and effective Lokpal Bill.

Team Anna has announced the indefinite protest against the UPA Government and its failure to enact a strong Lokpal as well as not setting up a special investigation team to probe corruption charges.