Bangalore, Aug 3: Social activist Anna Hazare should not form a political party to fight for his just cause as entering politics would be an expensive proposition, former Supreme Court justice N Santosh Hegde said on Friday.

He was speaking to reporters at the Freedom Park in the city centre where about 100 activists of India Against Corruption have been on a week-long fast in solidarity with Team Anna’s hunger-strike in New Delhi.

Welcoming Team Anna’s decision to call off the indefinite fast and explore an alternative strategy for a strong Lokpal law, the former Karnataka Lokayukta (ombudsman) said he would not, however, oppose if any member of the team wanted to contest elections.

Noting that Hazare had said he would not fight elections or vie for political power, Hegde said it would be unfair to link the crusader with the alternative move as Hazare was neither forming a political party nor was keen on contesting elections. “As Anna said in his speech on Thursday, do not link his name with politics or elections as it is important to keep his identity separate as he stands for fight against corruption and cleansing the system of its ills,” Hegde observed.

Noting that the need of the hour was to bring about a revolutionary change in Indian politics and governance at all levels, Hegde said the grave situation the country was facing warranted honest and clean people to enter politics.

Admitting that forming a political party and contesting elections were a Herculean task in the absence of cadres, infrastructure and financial support, Hegde said though there was no wrong in going for an alternative system to fight corruption and improve governance, the Anna Team would require massive support of the people across the country and resources to sustain the proposed political platform.(IANS)