Anna promises to work with Congress if govt creates strong Lokpal

Encouraged by the Prime Minister's latest letter to him, Anna Hazare has promised to work with Congress if the UPA government ensures that a strong Lokpal Bill is passed in the Winter session of Parliament and brings in other reforms.

At the same time, he sent out a warning to the ruling party that if the Lokpal Bill was not passed in the Winter session he will work against Congress in the coming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh and four other states like in Hisar.

In an interview to 'Aaj Tak' before going on Maun Vrat, the 74-year-old Gandhian said after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's latest letter to him, he was encouraged that the government would bring a strong Lokpal, the channel said in a release.

"If the government brings a strong Lokpal and keeps its other promises, why should I oppose the Congress. In fact we will work with the Congress," he said, referring to the Lokpal Bill and to electoral reforms including right to reject, decentralisation and more powers to gram sabhas.

Seeking to dispel the notion that Team Anna is anti-Congress, he denied that they had campaigned against Congress in Hisar at the behest of BJP and RSS.

"I have only seen him (RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat) on TV, I have never met him  or spoken to him. These are all allegations. In politics political parties are ready to do anything. The Congress, BJP and RSS are together conspiring to defame Anna. I have nothing to do with the RSS or BJP," Hazare said.