Hazare skips Mamata's Delhi rally

Anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare on Wednesday skipped a rally addressed here by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Bannerjee who attacked Narendra Modi and ruled out support to either Congress or BJP after the Lok Sabha polls.

What was billed to be a platform to launch Bannerjee's national ambitions with Hazare on the dais turned out to be just a Trinamool Congress rally.

No reason was given for the absence of Hazare, who arrived in New Delhi only last night ostensibly to attend the rally, but sources said he was unwell.

Hazare, who has expressed his support to Trinamool Congress and Bannerjee brushing aside his protege Arvind Kejriwal's party, had earlier in the day said he would attend the rally.

Significantly, an Imam of Kolkata had issued a threat that he would withdraw support to Bannerjee if she shares dais with Hazare.

Later, TMC leader Mukul Roy went to Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi and met Hazare.

At the thinly-attended rally in Ramlila ground, Banerjee targetted both Congress and BJP besides arch-rivals Left parties.

She singled out Modi without naming him saying the "leader of Gujarat" is "communal" and rubbished his claim about development in the state under his leadership.

"The BJP says it will come top power. But I ask how will it come to power... The face of Gujarat is communal. Not the people but the leader of Gujarat is communal," she said.

Ruling out support to either BJP or Congress, she said the two parties "form a syndicate for selling the country. They can come together and CPI(M) also has an understanding with these parties. We will not support the Congress, BJP or the CPI(M) and not even support anyone who has been with them.