There is euphoria in Trinamool Congress after Gandhian activist Anna Hazare’s decision to campaign for Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her race to prime ministership. The insiders say, the ecstasy springs not only from the belief that Anna’s support would win the party some crucial seats outside Bengal but also from the fact that the veteran Gandhian’s endorsement of Banerjee “simplicity” could put a coating on the corruption blot on her Government in her own State.
“Being an old Gandhian, Annaji has a fare idea of who is corrupt and who is not. So he has rightly decided to back Mamata di. And one is sure she would scale further heights and serve the country and Bengal in far better manner than she has been now,” said Firhad Hakim a Bengal Minister. Banerjee would meet the country’s tallest social activist on February 18 in Delhi, a day after the Bengal Government placed its Budget in the State Assembly.
The duo would decide in the meeting about the modalities of the joint-campaign, insiders said wondering whether it would be possible for Anna to campaign for the Trinamool in Bengal. "It seems that Hazareji may not be able to campaign in Bengal. He will rather campaign in the six States from where we may contest" a senior leader said. Experts however felt the Trinamool was reluctant to bring the Gandhian activist to Bengal "lest he is flooded with complaints of corruptions and mal-governance in the State."
Earlier Hazare was impressed by the way "she lives in a 10x12 room, wears slippers." He said "I back her candidate for Prime Minister." He was also peeved with the fact that none of the other outfits save Banerjee wrote him back about what they thought about his 18-point agenda post elections. Startled by the remarkable attendance in the recently concluded rallies of BJP and the left Front in Kolkata, Trinamool workers feel that Anna's backing would provide a huge shot in the Chief Minister's arm and help the party salvage its sullied image on issues like corruption and dipping law and order.
"The left, Congress and the BJP have teamed up to defeat Mamataji who is the choice of the Maa Maati Manush and are applying all sorts of tricks to destabilise her Government in Bengal. But Annaji's support for Mamata Banerjee will definitely help her cause in a big way. We feel elated," said another Minister insisting again "Banerjee is the cleanest politician in the country."
Hazare had earlier extended her support for Banerjee and offered to campaign for her in the coming general elections. This after former railway Minister Mukul Roy and MP KD Singh met him at his residence a couple of days ago.