Team Anna sets deadline for stand on Lokpal

In its first political announcement, anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare’s team on Tuesday said it would actively campaign in the Lok Sabha by-election for the Hisar seat in Haryana, against the political parties failing to pledge support for their Jan Lokpal Bill. HT reports.

In its first political announcement, anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare’s team on Tuesday said it would actively campaign in the Lok Sabha by-election for the Hisar seat in Haryana, against the political parties failing to pledge support for their Jan Lokpal Bill.

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“The candidates contesting in the Hisar bypoll would have to get in writing from their respective party presidents by September 30 that they support Anna Hazare’s bill,” Hazare’s colleague Arvind Kejriwal said here.

Addressing a news conference along with lawyer Prashant Bhushan and former police officer Kiran Bedi, he said the appeal to voters for the October 13 by-election would be issued around first October.

Kejriwal said the party presidents, like Sonia Gandhi in case of a Congress candidate and Nitin Gadkari in case of Kuldeep Bishnoi who is being supported by the BJP, would have to give in writing that their respective political parties would issue a whip in the Parliament in favour of the Jan Lokpal Bill when it comes for voting.

Even among the candidates who give written assurances, Kejriwal said, they would appeal to the people not to choose those who have a “tainted record”, said Kejriwal.

He also said Hazare might not be able to campaign in Hisar but his message on CDs would be played during the campaign.