Kejriwal invites Anna to visit Secretariat, activist accepts

New Delhi, Feb 24: Building on their just-revived bonhomie, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today invited Anna Hazare to the State Secretariat tomorrow to give a motivational talk to the MLAs and officials, an invitation the veteran activist accepted.

Sources close to Hazare said he will visit Delhi Secretariat, housing offices of Chief Minister and other ministers, around 11 AM and will have lunch with Kejriwal. Kejriwal today shared the dais with Hazare during the latter's protest at Jantar Mantar against the controversial land ordinance and shared stage with the Gandhian, reflecting rapprochement between the two after their split three years ago.

Kejriwal in his address invited 77-year-old Hazare to the Secretariat and asked him to interact with legislators, ministers and officials.

"I have also come to request Annaji to come to Delhi Secretariat tomorrow for at least 10 minutes. If Annaji steps into our secretariat, it will become pious. I want Annaji to address all the Head of Departments and others. We all will get inspiration from you and we will get more energy to do good work," he said.

Wearing a grey shirt and blue v-necked sweater and minus his trademark muffler, Kejriwal initially was standing among the crowd in the front of the stage but was later hoisted by Anna supporters on to the stage, drawing a loud cheer from the crowd.

The AAP leader sat right next to the Gandhian and was seen interacting with people on the stage. Occasionally, he waved at the crowd as well.

Kejriwal and Hazare, the two most prominent faces of the Lokpal movement had fallen apart after Kejriwal decided to launch a political party in October 2012.

"We want him (Hazare) there, because his presence will connect bureaucrats, legislators and ministers and other members and functionaries to the Gandhian's thoughts, which so far has been missing," said Chandni Chowk MLA Alka Lamba, who was among the AAP legislators present at the protest site.

Yesterday, Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Hazare's trusted lieutenants during the Lokpal movement, had met the activist at the Maharashtra Sadan here and extended support to the agitation led by him.

PTI