House hunting in city, Anna Hazare goes to Vicky Donor-linked Sarvodaya Enclave

Activist Anna Hazare has zeroed in on a house in Sarvodaya Enclave in South Delhi to better coordinate his anti-corruption movement while he is in the Capital. Hazare has already been to the house and is said to have made a token payment to rent the place.

Located in a quiet, tree-lined avenue, B-18 is owned by a joint family and has a big verandah, a terrace, spacious rooms. Some scenes of the film Vicky Donor, which had Ayushmann Khurrana, Yami Gautam and Annu Kapoor in the lead roles, were shot in this house.

Mahesh Sharma, owner of the house and a former office-bearer of the resident welfare association, confirmed he had accepted token payment for a 11-month lease.

"Nothing is final yet. There is no agreement. Annaji had come to see the house and he liked it. He has already paid token money, not Rs 50,000 or Rs 1 lakh as is being said. The amount he paid was nominal. But yes, we have taken it. If the agreement is finalised, we will let it out on a 11-month lease renewable every year," Sharma said.

He said India Against Corruption activists Arvind Kejriwal and Arvind Gaud had tried to dissuade Hazare from renting a house. "They have internal issues. All leaders of their organisation will meet in Mumbai on November 10 to decide whether this house should be taken or not," he said.

Sharma's elder brother Rajesh said Hazare and his supporters were planning to rent a section of the ground floor. This includes two bedrooms, a drawing room and a dining room, kitchen and bathrooms. He said Hazare will be also be able to use the verandah and hold "baithaks (meetings) there".

"How long can Annaji stay in Maharashtra Bhawan? He needs a base here. That is why he approached us after spotting an advertisement we placed in a newspaper," Rajesh said.

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