Friday, May 24th 07:23 PM IST
 

Team Anna is now a spent force

Arun George

Team Anna had everything going for it. They had the people’s backing, the righteousness and they were outsiders who promised something beyond anything the Indian establishment had seen before. By deciding to get into Indian politics field they risk alienating almost their entire support base or breaking it up into factions that wouldn’t count for much. In a pretense of being democratic, they are reduced to tactics last used by reality television, by seeking opinions through SMS. Unfortunately it’s easier to get people to send SMS’s than it is to get them to vote based on rational facts. Team Anna had its chance, blew it and once the glow fades it will be just another player in the complex web of Indian politics.read less read more

Simantik Dowerah

Team Anna is not out. It is just starting a different innings. Politics is a way to the end that the team has decided to traverse. Had the team been left without steam, Jantar Mantar and India Gate would not have become a sea of humanity in the last three days. The team may not have political subtleness of Congress or rhetoric of BJP as yet, but today's rookies can be tomorrow's masters. The political masterstrokes, strategic assaults and numerical wizardries are all matters of practice and the team will learn. What Team Anna has is the countless good wishes of unknown Indians, who are fed up of exploitation and rampant corruption. Remember, these unknown people are also voters. The quicker Team Anna acquires political deftness, the sooner the time will arrive for parties like the Congress and BJP to face the boot.read less read more