Centre confident of passing Lokpal Bill in Rajya Sabha tomorrow

CHENNAI/NEW DELHI: With BJP promising support, the Centre was today optimistic that the amended Lokpal Bill will be passed in Rajya Sabha tomorrow 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 tomorrow," Union Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy told reporters at Chennai airport.

Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley yesterday 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.

"Compliment Rahul Gandhi for coming out strongly in favour of Lok Pal and Arun Jaitley also for supporting it. Hope SP would reconsider," AICC General Secretary Digvijay Singh said on Twitter.

Kejriwal told reporters in Delhi that nobody except Congress will be benefited by the passage of the Bill while Rahul Gandhi will get the credit for it.