Alleging that the anti-corruption movement is taking a 'political turn', two members of team Anna have quit the core committee. The members, Rajendra Singh and PV Rajagopal, on Tuesday resigned from the core committee of the India Against Corruption, a social organization headed by social activist Anna Hazare.

Rajendra Singh is a Magsaysay award winner for his contribution to water conservation in Rajasthan, and PV Rajagopal is vice-chairman of the Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi. Both of them were part of the 22-member core group which guided the movement during Hazare's 12-day fast in Delhi in August, forcing Parliament to pass a resolution supporting his three major demands on the lokpal bill. Their sudden decision to quit added to the woes of the team, which is battling the crisis arising from key member Prashant Bhushan's remarks advocating a plebiscite in Kashmir.

The increasing internal feuds might make it difficult for Hazare to hold together a team of individuals who have strong and divergent views on various issues but had united under a single umbrella only on the anti-corruption issue. Rajendra Singh, popularly known as the Waterman, said, "I dissociate myself from the team. It is turning political. There were statements indicating this, including that on Hisar." He was referring to the recent bypolls in the Haryana Lok Sabha constituency, where Arvind Kejriwal and others campaigned against the Congress. PV Rajagopal said the decision to campaign in the Hisar byelection was not discussed by the core committee.