No idea why Hazare changed stand: Kejriwal

After Anna Hazare said he would not vote for the newly-launched Aam Aadmi Party, its leader, Arvind Kejriwal, was today at a loss to explain what had made the anti-corruption crusader change his mind.

“Earlier, he had supported our party. But I don't know what happened in two days. He did not remain with us. If we have erred, we are ready to rectify our mistakes," Kejriwal said. He was talking to reporters after addressing a farmers' rally with independent MP Raju Shetty in Sangli district of western Maharashtra.

"Anna is our moral strength. He would always exert pressure for our good work. I hope he comes with us in future," Kejriwal said. Kejriwal said AAP has pledged to work for fair pricing of farm products of farmers and "we are deeply concerned over the violent response to farmers' protests".

Over 15,000 farmers joined their rally on foot and vehicles. Kejriwal and Shetty paid their tributes to the families of two farmers Kundalik Kokate and Chandrakant Nalwade who were killed on November 12 during the protest demanding fair price for sugarcane.

Kejriwal said AAP would stand for their cause and fair pricing for farmers was a burning issue across the nation. Farmers had collected Rs 17 lakh for the families of the deceased farmers, Shetty said. The amount was presented to the two families at the rally today. Kejriwal paid tributes to the deceased farmers and said "they were martyrs of the second fight for independence". He said it was shocking that the government was not even willing to pay even the cost of production to farmers and the only reason was that most of the sugar mills were owned by politicians and were "looting" the farmers.