Liquor policy drowned Kejriwal, AAP: Anna Hazare

PUNE: Social activist Anna Hazare, whose anti-corruption movement in 2011 became a stepping stone for Delhi's ex-chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to come to power, took a jibe at his former protege saying AAP govt's liquor policy "has drowned him and his party".
Speaking to the media at his village Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra's Ahilyanagar district, Hazare said: "When he (Kejriwal) formed the party, people trusted and supported him. Later, however, he started promoting liquor and went after money, which has drowned him and his party today."
The focus on earning money by promoting liquor dented the party's image, eventually resulting in its defeat, he stressed.
Kejriwal had held multiple meetings with Hazare in Ralegan Siddhi when he got associated with the India Against Corruption movement, before floating AAP.
According to the activist, a candidate's integrity and moral character play a crucial role in earning voters' trust and support. "I kept telling this to him, but he did not pay any heed," he said.
Hazare said AAP moved away from the path of serving people selflessly. "Serving people without expecting anything in return is like worshipping God. He did not understand this, which led to his downfall," he added.