Bal Thackeray snubs Anna Hazare, refuses to meet him

In a snub to Anna Hazare, Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray on Thursday refused to meet him days after he questioned the relevance of the Gandhian's anti-corruption crusade.

Hazare is in Mumbai to mobilise support for a strong Lokayukta among political parties and had met Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Thackeray's estranged nephew and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena(MNS) leader Raj Thackeray among other political leaders.

Hazare, who had a meeting with Raj, remained unfazed over Thackeray's refusal to meet him.

"If he is not meeting me, it will not affect me. I am not meeting him for my selfish interest. I am meeting him as the issue (Lokayukta) is important for the state," Hazare told reporters after his meeting with Raj.

Thackeray's son and Sena executive president Uddhav defended his father, saying he would not meet Hazare as long as the social activist was accompanied by "corrupt people".

"Balasaheb would not meet him as long as Hazare is surrounded by corrupt people," Uddhav said responding to a question by newsmen in Aurangabad.

Thackeray senior last month questioned the relevance of the anti-corruption crusade by Hazare and his team members.