Team Anna banks on virtual support

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Even as the SMS-based referendum is yet to substantiate Team Anna's political ambitions, the members are highly banking on supporters and volunteers in the virtual world.

Ironically, anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare and his supporters Arvind Kejriwal and Gopal Rai who are all set to break their fast today at 5:00 pm, are nowhere in the top ten Twitter India searches this afternoon.

Top India trends on Twitter today include Yihan Wang, Sanjeev Nanda, Go Saina Go, Ronjan Sodhi, KS Sudarshan and Nitin Gadkari. 

Team Anna supporters have been follwoing the Facebook glitterati, for more than a year. Their Facebook presence includes 'India Against Corruption' and 'Anna Fan Page.'

Also read: Watch Anna's fight against corruption live online

India Against Corruption has received 630,325 likes so far, while Delhi remained on top as being the demographically active city. August 14, 2011 was the highest activity week, led by youth in 18-24 age groups.

The Anna Fan Page, managed by supporters, has attracted 467,000 endorsements while it continues to update the network members with ongoing activities related to anti-corruption movement.

“Retired Army Chief, General VK Singh will visit Jantar Mantar today at 4:00pm and from his hands Annaji will break his fast,” the page's recent update said.

The Twitter feed by one of the Team Anna Core Committee members Devinder Sharma integrated on Anna Fan Page says:  "Not sure if Team Anna's decision to form a political party is right. I wish we had discussed this at length within the Core Committee."

Team Anna member Kumar Vishwas believes that they have overwhelming support on multiple social media platforms that suits their political ambitions. This, he says, despite the country's frail Internet penetration, which as per various sources is not more than 10 per cent.

''The individuals, who were endorsing anti-corruption crusade on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, were from various cross-section of society and represent various geographies worldwide,'' says Netizen Kanwaldeep Singh Grewal.

They were, Grewal said, for emotional support only and such Internet savvies should not be mistaken as electoral prospects.