Gadkari differs from party line,accepts Jan Lokpal Bill

Nitin Gadkari nuanced his partys position,conveying to Anna that it accepts draft Jan Lokpal Bill.

BJP president Nitin Gadkari today nuanced his partys position,conveying to Anna Hazare that it accepts the draft Jan Lokpal Bill as the basis for a strong and effective Lokpal to be put in place. On its part,Team Anna met the BJP leadership in an attempt to enlist its support ahead of the debate in the Lok Sabha.

The BJP chief demanded that the debate be on the basis of Team Anna’s draft and the government Bill be withdrawn,a stance that appeared somewhat at variance with that of Leaders of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley,who had restricted themselves to suggesting that the Jan Lokpal Bill be considered while drafting a fresh Bill.

Swaraj asserted after Wednesdays all-party meeting that a new bill should be brought keeping in view the contents of Team Anna’s Bill. The resolution adopted at the meeting,too,stressed that due consideration should be given to the Jan Lokpal Bill; sources said it was Jaitley who had drafted the resolution.

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On Monday,BJP Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha S S Ahluwalia had asserted that the Jan Lokpal Bill cannot be accepted in toto. The BJP has disagreed with many of its provisions,such as bringing the lower bureaucracy under the Lokpal’s purview and appointment of state Lokpals under the Act. Sources said these issues were discussed during the meeting Prashant Bhushan,Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi had with L K Advani,Gadkari,Swaraj and Jaitley.

Gadkari said Team Anna accepted the BJP’s position on many provisions,and the party supported Hazare’s campaign for a corruption-free India. Jaitley said both sides agreed the Bill should be in tune with the spirit of the Constitution.

Earlier,the BJP core group met on the issue. Chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said as Gadkari has written,the party wants formulation and passage of an effective Lokpal “in accordance with the principles and premises of the Jan Lokpal Bill.

Gadkaris letter,which was taken to Hazare by his aide Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and general secretary J P Nadda,said,We have always been and are for a strong Lokpal. For that to happen,BJP accepts your draft Jan Lokpal Bill to be the basis for a strong and effective Lokpal to be put in place at the earliest without getting into procedural wrangles.

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