Anna Hazare skips Mamata Banerjee`s Delhi rally; is the `partnership` over?

Zee Media Bureau/Deepak Nagpal

New Delhi: Even before their partnership for the Lok Sabha polls could take a concrete shape, Mamata Banerjee and Anna Hazare seem to have fallen apart. The social activist on Wednesday skipped a joint rally with the West Bengal Chief Minister at the Ramlila Maidan here, and the latter minced no words in stating that she didn`t care if others support her or not. Addressing the rally, Mamata told the crowd: “Jo ladai humne shuru kari hai vo jaari rakhnege, chaahe koi saath de ya na de (we will carry on with the struggle which we have started, whether someone supports us or not).” “I left my work to attend this rally, it was not a show of strength. We will hold rallies in UP, Gujarat etc too,” the firebrand leader said further, adding it was Anna who wanted the rally to be held in Delhi. Hinting that becoming the PM was not her ambition, she said, “I don`t want individual power; I want power for the public.” “Muddai lakh bura chahe to kya hota hai, wahi hota hai jo manjoore Khuda hota hai,” she said further. It may be noted that Anna had backed Mamata for the post of PM, as she was the only leader who had responded to the social activist`s letter on his 17-point agenda. Former Union minister and Trinamool leader Mukul Roy today met Anna at Maharashtra Sadan in the capital, but no details of the meeting were available. Earlier, it had become clear that Anna will not attend the joint rally. Hazare aide Sunita Godara had said that the Gandhian was unwell and may skip the rally. “Anna ji is not well, he has congestion. I don`t know if he will go to TMC`s rally,” Godara was quoted as saying by ANI. The rally too proved to be a flop show with crowds also skipping the rally. As per some estimates, the rally could not even attract more than 500 people. Banerjee today was expected to lay bare her national aspirations by revealing her party`s `national agenda` ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. As per reports, included in the agenda will be a critique of the UPA government`s performance over the last decade. The agenda was also expected to incorporate Hazare`s 17-point plan. Meanwhile, in her address Mamata hit out at the BJP, Congress and the Left. “BJP and Congress can together sell the country,” the TMC chief warned. “CPM, BJP and Congress all tried to suppress me, but I won`t be suppressed. I started with Kolkata, but I can start from anywhere. Punjab, Delhi, Bihar all are my states,” she said.