Will Lokpal Bill clear Parliament hurdle on Monday?

December 15, 2013 21:24

With BJP promising support, the Centre was today optimistic that the amended Lokpal Bill will be passed in Rajya Sabha on Monday even as the face-off between Anna Hazare and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal over the anti-graft measure continued.

Citing the support of BJP to the Lokpal Bill, Congress hoped that UPA's key outside ally Samajwadi Party will reconsider its strong opposition to the anti-graft measure. The SP yesterday warned it could go to "any extent" in Parliament for blocking the legislation.

As the Centre was geared up for the passage of the Bill in the Raja Sabha, Kejriwal rejected it as "weak" and ineffective and insufficient to even send a "mouse" to jail, forget a minister.

Hazare responded with a jibe at his former protege, saying if anyone feels there are shortcomings in the bill after it is passed, they should fast for it.

"Chances are high that the Bill will be passed in the Rajya Sabha on Monday," Union Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy told reporters at Chennai airport.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said his party was ready to support Lokpal even without a discussion after he alleged that Congress and its allies all along were blocking the passage of the legislation.

The bill among other things delinks setting up of Lokayuktas in states, a highly controversial provision that led many parties to opposed it in Rajya Sabha last December.

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