Hisar bypolls trigger slugfest between Congress, Team Anna

The fight at Hisar, ostensibly a single constituency bypoll in Haryana, has turned out to be a slugfest between the Congress and Team Anna.

The two sides have taken their fight over the Lokpal issue to the next round with Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh hitting out at Anna Hazare’s naivete for being “misled” by people like Arvind Kejriwal, who was against “weaker sections and reservation”.

“Infact, Team Anna’s fight is not against corruption but it is basically anti- Congress — an assault on the democratic and secular fabric of the country represented by the Congress,” said Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari on Anna’s call to voters to defeat the Congress.

Kejriwal retaliated against the “wild and baseless allegations”. “Our main agenda is to get the Jan Lokpal Bill passed and continue with our fight against corruption. We have nothing to do with any political party.”

Digvijay Singh urged Justice Santosh Hegde to “distance himself from Team Anna”. Hegde has gone on record saying he disapproved of Hazare's anti-Congress stance in the Hisar bypolls. “He should immediately distance himself from Team Anna”, said Singh.

Referring to Hazare, Singh said: “I am extremely sorry, Anna is being led up the garden path by all those people who are basically opposed to the idea of Congress, and are against the weaker sections and reservation.” He alleged that Kejriwal has been known for his anti-reservation stance. Kejriwal, who was addressing a gathering at Hisar on Monday, said: “Some people say we are doing politics. We have been saying from the beginning that we are doing politics, but it is not the votebank politics, but politics for the people.”

While Anna’s team is working overtime to ensure that people vote against Congress candidate Jai Prakash, the party questioned Anna’s open support to the other candidates – INLD’s Ajay Singh Chautala, who was chargesheeted by the CBI and Haryana Janhit Congress HJC’s Kuldeep Bishnoi, son of former chief minister Bhajan Lal.

“Are they bathed in milk and do they smell of honey. Its no secret that these candidates have a legacy of corruption,” said Tewari. The Congress ammunition has been strengthened by recent comments of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat who had said that Sangh volunteers participated in Anna’s recent movement against corruption.

The Congress has been questioning the legitimacy of Anna’s campaign against the Congress in Hisar as the Lokpal bill issue was still being deliberated upon. Tewari said: “The standing committee, which is looking into the Lokpal bill, is holding meetings on a weekly basis and is yet to come up with its report. So Anna’s decision to up the ante before the conclusion of these deliberations is questionable.”

The bypolls will be conducted on October 13 and will definitely be closely watched.