Anna asks politicians to reveal poll expenses (Lead: Anna)

New Delhi, Mar 5 (ANI): Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday asked political leaders to reveal the amount of money they had spent during their campaigns before assembly polls in five states.

Hazare, who is in Delhi to attend a Team Anna core committee meeting, said: "The money spent during election campaign belongs to the citizens of the country, and they have the right to know how their money was spent.

"So, what wrong has Arvind Kejriwal said? Transparency should be there. The public should be made aware about the money that is spent by the politicians, because it is not their money, it is the money given by the public. If the public has given you money, then you should be giving the details about it to them, he added.

Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur had assembly elections from January 28 to March 3. The results would be announced on Tuesday.

Hazare also said he would tour the country with the aim of making the people aware about the rampant corruption prevalent in the country.

"This is the reason why I have come today. One meeting has already been held, and today, is the second meeting. We will talk to two other groups and will decide the future course of action. Then, we will tour the country," he added.

Earlier on February 24, he had threatened to start another movement for the passage of a strong ombudsman bill to combat graft in the country. He has said then that movement would take place before 2014 general elections.

Hazare and the government have been at loggerheads over the Ombudsman Bill, for which the Gandhian activist staged hunger strikes in April, August and December last year. (ANI)