Kejriwal gets Anna Hazare's blessings, not active support

The once inseparable dynamic duo of social and political activism - Anna Hazare and Arvind Kejriwal - is today a shadow of its former self. Gone is the media frenzy, and the halo of the heydays.u00a0

The starkest contrast of course is in the equations between the two - political and personal. So, while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder Kejriwal was at Ralegan Siddhi yesterday, appealing to Hazare to share the dais with him in Delhi during his indefinite hunger strike over rising power and water tariffs starting March 23, the latter only bestowed his blessings upon Kejriwal.

Only moral support? Social crusader Anna Hazare and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder Arvind Kejriwal yesterday. Pic/Ganesh Bhosale

"I requested Annaji to come at least for a day to Delhi where I will be fasting for a noble cause. I only asked him to visit the venue, not join me in my hunger strike," said Kejriwal.

Datta Awari, personal assistant to Hazare, said, "The discussion between Kejriwal and Hazare took place at Ralegan Siddhi for 95 minutes at a stretch. The AAP chief wanted Anna's presence during his fast in Delhi beginning on March 23. Anna said that he would not able to come at the venue of the strike on that day. But Anna said he would be going to Delhi on March 27 and could meet Kejriwal."

Awari added, "Anna has made his stand clear that he will not extend his support to any political party, including AAP. The issue of electricity taken up by Kejriwal is good and Anna had extended his blessings to the cause. Anna will certainly support ‘clean' candidates in the Aam Aadmi Party in the coming assembly elections."u00a0

Hazare's four states' tour
To make people aware of the Jan Lokpal Bill and vote for ‘clean' candidates in the coming assembly elections, Hazare will be visiting Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh from March 31. The four-day visit will kick off from Amritsar.