At a time when his two former disciples are battling it out in Delhi, Congress today wooed Anna Hazare, saying farmers' cause will be strengthened if he backed the agitation against the Land ordinance.
Party spokesperson Randeep Surjewala faced a lot of questions from reporters whether the party would appeal to the anti-corruption crusader to join the stir launched by it against the Modi government in the wake of the ordinance.
"Cause of farmers will be greatly strengthened if Hazare lends his voice and support", was his refrain. He said that the government has made an assault on the rights of farmers.
In the briefing, Surjewala also lashed out at rival Chief Ministerial candidates- Arvind Kejriwal of AAP and Kiran Bedi of BJP.
"The two so called disciples of Hazare first dumped the India Against Corruption, then Hazare's movement and then his philosophy in the quest for Chief Ministership. It speaks volumes about their conduct", Surjewala said.
He said that reports that Hazare refused to take a call from Bedi after she joined the BJP leaves no one in doubt about how he feels about the developments.
Posing a host of questions for Kejriwal and Bedi, he said the BJP CM candidate had time and again ridiculed the political class including the BJP leaders while Kejriwal was known for his "shoot and scoot" policy through which he used to make allegations and run away.
Meanwhile at his village, Ralegan Sidhi in Maharashtra, Hazare sidestepped questions about Bedi joining BJP and said that he wants to stay away from "political dirt". He pledged to intensify his agitation for Janlokpal after the Delhi Assembly polls.
