Ralegan Siddhi Sarpanch

Veteran social crusader Anna Hazare on Monday gave his nod to Ralegan Siddhi sarpanch Jaisingh Mapare to contest next month's Zilla Parishad (district council) elections on a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ticket, an aide said.

Concerned about Anna Hazare's health, villagers of Ralegan Siddhi will arrive in Mumbai on Wednesday. "About seven to eight vehicles, carrying people of Ralegan, including the village sarpanch, will reach Mumbai tomorrow," Mr Hazare's associate Datta Awari said.

As Anna Hazare sat on a daylong fast demanding an effective Lokpal Bill at Jantar Mantar yesterday, the domino effect of the Delhi dharna could be seen in across the country, particularly in the corruption crusader's village, Ralegansiddhi, and the city.

After Anna Hazare issued a strong statement on Rahul Gandhi not meeting a delegation from his village, the Congress said today that it has great respect for Anna and his associates. The Congress says that when the sarpanch of Ralegan Siddhi and others arrived in Delhi, they did not have a confirmed appointment with Mr Gandhi. Digvijaya Singh of th...

After the village sarpanch and other representatives from anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare's native Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra were refused a meeting with Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi in Delhi yesterday, Mr Hazare today, in a letter, said that he was happy that the sarpanch said he would never meet Mr Gandhi again.

The Congress' insistence that its leader Rahul Gandhi was not scheduled to meet Anna Hazare's representatives in Delhi is likely to add to the frisson between the government and Anna's team of anti-corruption activists.

Congress MP PT Thomas met the sarpanch of Anna Hazare's native village in Delhi this morning over the confusion on his reported meeting with party leader Rahul Gandhi. After meeting him, the Congress MP from Idukki said it was miscommunication from his office that led to the mix-up.

Team Anna is busy battling the Congress over its Jan Lokpal draft Bill, but in some Track 2 diplomacy, Anna Hazare has sent the sarpanch of his Ralegan Siddhi village to meet Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.

Veteran social crusader Anna Hazare on Monday gave his nod to Ralegan Siddhi sarpanch Jaisingh Mapare to contest next month's Zilla Parishad (district council) elections on a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ticket, an aide said.

Concerned about Anna Hazare's health, villagers of Ralegan Siddhi will arrive in Mumbai on Wednesday. "About seven to eight vehicles, carrying people of Ralegan, including the village sarpanch, will reach Mumbai tomorrow," Mr Hazare's associate Datta Awari said.

As Anna Hazare sat on a daylong fast demanding an effective Lokpal Bill at Jantar Mantar yesterday, the domino effect of the Delhi dharna could be seen in across the country, particularly in the corruption crusader's village, Ralegansiddhi, and the city.

After Anna Hazare issued a strong statement on Rahul Gandhi not meeting a delegation from his village, the Congress said today that it has great respect for Anna and his associates. The Congress says that when the sarpanch of Ralegan Siddhi and others arrived in Delhi, they did not have a confirmed appointment with Mr Gandhi. Digvijaya Singh of th...

After the village sarpanch and other representatives from anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare's native Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra were refused a meeting with Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi in Delhi yesterday, Mr Hazare today, in a letter, said that he was happy that the sarpanch said he would never meet Mr Gandhi again.

The Congress' insistence that its leader Rahul Gandhi was not scheduled to meet Anna Hazare's representatives in Delhi is likely to add to the frisson between the government and Anna's team of anti-corruption activists.

Congress MP PT Thomas met the sarpanch of Anna Hazare's native village in Delhi this morning over the confusion on his reported meeting with party leader Rahul Gandhi. After meeting him, the Congress MP from Idukki said it was miscommunication from his office that led to the mix-up.

Team Anna is busy battling the Congress over its Jan Lokpal draft Bill, but in some Track 2 diplomacy, Anna Hazare has sent the sarpanch of his Ralegan Siddhi village to meet Rahul Gandhi in Delhi.