No Rahul handshake for Hazare aides

Disappointed over not getting an audience with Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi for the last two days, a team from Anna Hazare’s village retuned home on Tuesday.

Disappointed over not getting an audience with Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi for the last two days, a team from Anna Hazare’s village retuned home on Tuesday.

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However, Gandhi’s office maintained that it had received no request for an appointment. “There is no direct communication with us... They have not sought any appointment so far. We came to know about the meeting only through the media,” a Gandhi aide said.

Even Congress' PT Thomas, who had reportedly fixed the much-talked about meeting, apologised for the “communication gap” that led to the confusion.

A close aide of Hazare, Suresh Pathare, said even if they get an appointment now, the village will decide whether to meet Gandhi.

“We came here after being told that we have an appointment with Rahul Gandhi on October 18 at 9am. We came here believing the words of the MP. Now the MP says there was a communication gap. We are returning home,” Pathare said.

“We have said in our letter seeking appointment with Gandhi that we want to meet him as suggested by the MP. We were contacted by Thomas' office several times. Even Rahul Gandhi's office called the sarpanch several times.

“We are not meeting Gandhi now as it appears that there is an ego issue. The panchayat will decide whether to meet him if an appointment comes,” Pathare said.