254. Kejriwal's response to Anna Hazare's support for Mamata Banerjee

Election News | Edited by Prasad Sanyal | Updated: March 05, 2014 00:06 IST

NEW DELHI:  Aam Aadmi Party chief and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal today said only Anna Hazare could explain "why he is backing Mamata Banerjee."

"I don't feel betrayal (sic). It is my bad luck that Annaji did not like us, and liked Mamata Banerjee's politics (instead), " Mr Kejriwal said at a Q&A session today moderated by senior journalist Madhu Trehan, hosted on Facebook and broadcast on NDTV. (Highlights | Watch)

Mr Kejriwal became a nationally-recognized figure in  2011 when he  flanked Anna, who fasted for 16 days to demand the new anti-corruption law that has just been cleared by Parliament and births a national ombudsman or Lokpal. But he publicly differed with his mentor and split when he formed the AAP in 2012. 

Mr Kejriwal maintained, "Annaji is a very respected person for us but there may be difference of opinion. Whatever Annaji says about us is very serious for us (sic)"

Last month, the 76- year-old Gandhian activist explained why he preferred Mamata Banerjee to Arvind Kejriwal  in a joint press conference with the West Bengal chief minister in Delhi.  Announcing he has chosen to end a self-imposed ban on support to political parties to campaign for her, Mr Hazare said, "I had sent my 17 points to Arvind Kejriwal as well, but he never responded." ('Arvind Kejriwal did not respond to my letter, Mamata Banerjee did': Anna) 

"I will neither support nor oppose Arvind," he added.

Mr Kejriwal today dismissed Mr Hazare's claim and said his Aam Aadmi Party supported all the 17-points raised by Anna. 

"Anna never wrote a formal letter to us. He gave me a note with 17 points written and asked me what I thought of it. Four of us - Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Ashutosh and I - met him the next day and said we endorsed all his points," he said.

Story First Published:March 04, 2014 21:22 IST