Team Anna meets at Hazare’s village; Swami Agnivesh out

The 22-member core committee of 'team Anna', the Anna Hazare-led group battling for a strong anti-corruption law, today began its two-day meeting at Hazare's native village of Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra to work out their future strategy.

This is the first formal engagement after the anti-graft crusader's fast last month. The right to recall MPs is high on the agenda, former high-profile policewoman Kiran Bedi, a core member of team Anna, said in Pune on her way to Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district.

Addressing students, Bedi also ruled out team Anna and the 'jan lokpal' movement joining hands with Manipur activist Irom Sharmila, who has been on a fast for 10 years to get the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) repealed.

She also ruled out the attendance of Swami Agnivesh, a former member of 'team Anna', at the conclave. Agnivesh parted ways with the group after a disc was circulated showing him purportedly talking to union minister Kapil Sibal and telling him to act tough with Hazare.

Alleging "betrayal," Agnivesh had accused certain members of team Anna of "conspiring" against him and said the "vicious" campaign was aimed at destroying his credibility.

"He would speak for himself," Bedi told reporters when they sought more information about Agnivesh, whom she had dubbed as a "government mole" in the anti-corruption movement after the CD leak.