JOIN USAnna to take on Kejriwal at Ramleela Maidan
Angry with his former follower, Anna Hazare will challenge Arvind Kejriwal on March 12 at the historic Ramleela Maidan here. The Gandhian, who joined TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to put forward an alternative before the nation under her leadership, has called upon his followers to join him for the rally.
The Jantantra rally is to be jointly addressed by the West Bengal chief minister and Hazare. Some cine stars including Mithun Chakraborty and Vishwajit may also share the dais.
Hazare is learning the ropes of high-tech communication, to which he was introduced by Kejriwal and his team during the India against Corruption movement. He has sent voice mails to appeal to his followers across the country.
“Anna’s appeal in his voice is being sent through a voice mail to his supporters. We have 14 lakh people across the country on our mailing list. They had registered for the Jantantra Morcha, the outfit which was launched by him after he dissociated from Arvind Kejriwal,” an organiser of the Jantanatra rally told Deccan Herald.
Anna last year launched the Jantantra Morcha with support of former Army chief V K Singh. They toured different parts of the country to revive the anti-graft non-political platform. General Singh later joined the BJP.
However, Hazare will not only miss the company of Kejriwal, Prashant Bhushan, Kumar Vsihwas and Manish Sisodia, but also Kiran Bedi. She has grown close to the BJP and might get a ticket for the Lok Sabha elections.
The rally may come as a severe embarrassment to Kejriwal as Hazare is likely to take a harsher stance against the AAP leader. Sources said he might bless TMC candidates who are willing to take on the AAP in the Lok Sabha polls. The names include expelled MLA Vinod Kumar Binny, who is likely to contest from Delhi as a TMC candidate.
Meanwhile, Trinamool sources said yesteryear Bollywood star Vishwajit has approached the party to contest from Delhi. Sources said Hazare might bless him in the rally.