Hazare unwell, not to attend Kejriwal's swearing-in ceremony

Anna Hazare today said he would not be attending his one time protege Arvind Kejriwal's swearing-in ceremony in Delhi on Saturday owing to ill-health.

"I am not well," Hazare said when asked whether he will be travelling to Delhi on December 28 to attend the ceremony.

When questioned again, Hazare said, "I can't say right now, I am not well."

The Delhi Chief Minister-designate had said earlier in the day that he would personally invite his "guru" Hazare for the ceremony.

"Anna Hazare is my guru and I would personally talk to him on phone to invite him for the ceremony," he said.

"The invitation would be sent from the government's side and I had asked them to send an invitation to Hazare, Kiran Bedi and Justice Santosh Hegde," Kejriwal said.

The Gandhian had two days back said that he is yet to receive an invitation for the swearing-in ceremony but would not attend even if he got one owing to ill-health.

Hazare had earlier declined to comment on the Kejriwal-led AAP's decision to form the new government in Delhi, but added he would express his views when his former protege acts on the Lokayukta issue.

Hazare had parted ways with Kejriwal following his decision to form a political party.

The relations between the Gandhian and the AAP convener had hit a new low when he recently ordered a frontline leader of Kejriwal's party Gopal Rai to leave his fast venue and village after he engaged in a spat with former Army chief General V K Singh. Singh had slammed Kejriwal and others for having deserted Hazare and formed a political party.

The AAP had immediately recalled Rai from Hazare's fast venue.