Anna Hazare supports Mamata as PM; to campaign for TMC

Zee Media Bureau Pune: In a departure from his known stand of not canvassing for any political party in the elections, social activist Anna Hazare will campaign for Trinamool Congress candidates all over India in the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

The announcement was made by TMC General Secretary Mukul Roy after he met Hazare at his native village of Ralegan Siddhi in Ahmednagar district on Thursday. Hazare would meet the TMC chief in Delhi on February 18. The former Railway minister, Roy who met the anti-graft crusader as Mamata`s emissary, said his party was "proud" of getting Hazare`s support. "We feel proud that such a senior mass leader has hailed the leadership of Mamata Banerjee who had replied to his 17-point economic programme which is being incorporated in the party election manifesto," he added. Anna later explained why Mamata gets his endorsement. "She lives in a 10 by 12 room, wears hawai chappal...I want to say that after 66 years of Independence nobody has thought of changing the economic system, but Mamata Ji has thought about it," adding that Mamata has promised him to implement the 17 suggestions he gave to political parties. Anna says he had sent 17 suggestions to every political party, which he believes will do the nation good if implemented, only the West Bengal Chief Minister replied. Reacting to the development on a news channel, CPI-(M) leader Mohammed Salim said Anna is one of the tallest figures in the country, however, he should remember that Mamata Banerjee was against the Lokpal Bill and had ridiculed the India Against Corruption stir in Delhi. (With PTI inputs)