I would have joined AAP: UR Ananthamurthy

TUMKUR: Jnanpith awardee UR Ananthamurthy on Thursday said he would have joined the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) if age had been on his side.

At an interaction of Ananthamurthy with students and members of the public by Tumkur University, the writer said: "My age doesn't permit me to enter politics. An AAP-like political party is a necessity in today's politics. Arvind Kejriwal is doing good work."

He said there's nothing wrong in the backward class meets organized by chief minister Siddaramaiah as he's trying to understand the problems of the downtrodden.

Ananthamurthy criticized BJP's PM candidate Narendra Modi, saying it's evident what he will do if he comes to power by what he did during the Gujarat riots. "There has been no development in Gujarat. Many schools have no teachers and hospitals don't have doctors. A developed Gujarat is a myth," he said.

He said communalism is more dangerous than corruption. "We can control corruption with some rules and regulations. But how can we rein in communalism?" he asked.