[b]By annoying the Aam-aadmi, Annaji in the public perception has let himself come down from the "posture of 'a second Gandhi' to the position of 'another Nehru'".

Padmalochan Dash*

Anna Hazare's popular movement of campaign for the 'Jan-Lokpal Bill' was considered by the 'aam-aadmi' as to be the second independence movement in an aggrieved independence India. Such a movement was felt to be fought for the complete eradication of corruption and intended to throw it out for ever as it has culminated into a state of cancer-like-situation being seriously risky to the healthy national life. The 'Indian nation of aam-admi', in this regard, expected from Anna Hazare that he would do some miracle and give a unique fight, while would also keep the enrichment of such a noble cause continuing for a significant period to come. A sizable numbers of populace being the appraiser of the movement too went into the extent of giving him a mass-scale support from each 'nook and corner' of the country in letter and spirit. Even they also went to the extent of bestowing him with the stature of the second Gandhi of the country which has so far remained unparalleled in the history of Independence India.

But, incorrectly to such an expectation, he finally emerged out to be something different in a situation perhaps where he could have assessed the mass support going to be scanty in his favour in the recent show of his hunger strike at 'Jantar Mantar'. It was most probably due to his Team's own fault of 'calculations of alliances and alignments'. Such a distressing situation or something different eventually made him to found out "the ultimate solution of fighting corruption" in "the floating of a political party and fighting election under the said banner" contrary to his own stand prior. Sarcastically, this was what particularly the congress party with much confidence suspected to be the real intention of Anna Hazare and his Team, what Anna and his Team now have proved to be actual. However, such a decision seems to be taken very hastily and emotionally, though Annaji and his team now trying to justify it as an alternative to the corrupt government as well as the corrupt oppositions "at the Centre and the States.

But the situation in reality has turned to be different and seems no more in the claws of Anna and his Team. Now re-evaluating the reactions of the annoyed aam-admi coming very sharp; it can be observed that "by declaring his intention to float a political party Annaji in the public perception has let himself come down from the posture of "a second Gandhi" to the position "a second Nehru"." This development now again proved that Gandhiji in India is impossible to born twice, though many Nehrus and Jinnahas could come and go. Now it is up to Annaji and his team members to decide which to choose and which to discard for.

Annaji could have ideally educated the people on the things like 'fair voting practice' and could have pressed the country even for 'a total electoral reform', which are directly and indirectly but very seriously needed for eradicating corruption in the country. Such an endeavour could have borne a sustaining result what the county at the moment was badly expecting from his part. However, he only came down to a position of declaring that he would also be a part of the electoral politics and put people in the fray according to his own, which for the time being the country normally was not expecting from his side. This has made Anna and his team to lose an extensive level of consolidating-support-base across the country with immediate effect too difficult to regain.

Nevertheless, if Annaji puts effective and efficient candidates in fray for all single constituencies to contest against all corrupt parties (what he often used to say) in the coming general election at "any of the cost he has to bear for", then this may slightly serve the above desire to a little extent. If he will do so, then he is going to be believed that "he has really in his mind something to do" though in a different way as he likes. If this does not happen, and he goes for any types of alliances or understandings with any party in the pre-election phase; then there will remain least doubt that "Annaji along with his team members have also gone power-hungry and corrupt" those like of the parties against whom they once fought.

About Author / Additional Info:
(*the Author is a Ph. D Research Scholar in Internal Security Studies Centre at Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar. He can be contacted at kalinga_leader@rediffmail.com )