Gandhi said the BJP had actually committed itself to supporting Constitutional status to Lokpal in the Standing Committee deliberations.
With Anna Hazare sitting on an indefinite fast and the Congress having received a huge drubbing in Delhi at the hands of newcomers Aam Aadmi Party -- who fought the elections on the plank of eradicating corruption and bringing transparency in public discourse -- the party-led United Progressive Alliance government has finally decided to bring the Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
From the time he first rose to prominence during the movement against the then UPA government, Arvind Kejriwal has regularly grabbed headlines for his surprise moves and decisions. Here are 10 such instances.
The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday demanded a probe into the alleged "leak" of a communication on the Jan Lokpal Bill from the Solicitor General to the Lieutenant Governor.
Narendra Modi speaking about Lokayukta is like Asaram "talking about virginity", Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Monday, hitting back at the Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate.
With the opposition parties closing ranks to raise the heat on price rise and other issues, the Congress on Friday appealed to them to allow smooth functioning of Parliament to pass key bills including Lokpal.
Former AAP leaders Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan said the Bill was completely different from the one envisaged originally.
On the eve of Anna Hazare's fast against the "weak" Lokpal Bill, the government on Monday asked him to wait for the outcome of Parliament's debate on the legislation on Tuesday before launching his agitation.
Accusing the government of going back on its assurances to give a strong Lokpal Bill, anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare on Friday threatened to start another country-wide agitation to achieve his demand of a pro-people Jan Lokpal. Slamming the government Lokpal draft, Hazare took on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and accused them of not fulfilling the promises made to him.
Union Minister of Water Resources and Minority Affairs Salman Khursheed, who is one of the major interlocutors from the government side in the Lokpal deliberations, answers readers' queries on Rediff Chat
Union Minister Salman Khurshid on Sunday called Arvind Kejriwal a runaway "groom", as political parties hurled jibes at the AAP leader after he quit as the Delhi chief minister.
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The Lokpal bill, uncontrolled inflation, corruption, a slew of issues will play out in the month-long winter session of parliament beginning on Tuesday.
Launching its campaign in five poll-bound states, Team Anna on Saturday sought to be even-handed by targeting the Centre, Bharatiya Janata Party, Bahujan Samaj Party for bringing a "toothless" Lokpal Bill which is like a "dead body strewn with flowers".
The debate over the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, 2011, has caused an internal rift in the party, and Kalyan Banerjee is upset that some of his party leaders are questioning his stand over it.
Condemning the recent assaults on civil society activists and stating that Anna Hazare's movement had served its purpose, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday assured that a bill for a strong Lokpal would soon be cleared.
A day after asking Anna Hazare not to fast from August 16 if a strong anti-corruption bill is not prepared, Karnataka Lokayukta Santosh Hegde, a Lokpal Bill drafting committee member, on Sunday expressed solidarity with him saying that they had no differences.
Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Thursday said activist Anna Hazare's plan to go on fast from August 16 on Lokpal issue is "unjustified" at this stage, when it is moving forward on the passage of the bill.
Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday came out with its manifesto for the December 4 Delhi polls, promising to enact Jan Lokpal Bill in 15 days if voted to power.
Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of blocking passage of six anti-graft bills by Parliament, which form part of the government's anti-corruption framework.
Kharge shoots off another letter to the prime minister.
Social activist Anna Hazare on Tuesday met family members of late former Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh and offered his condolences to them.
Thousands of Delhiites today rallied behind Anna Hazare's campaign against corruption by thronging India Gate, from where they marched to Ramlila Maidan, where the Gandhian is on a fast demanding a strong Lokpal.
Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Friday said Gandhian leader Anna Hazare was seeking to create a 'parallel government' through a Jan Lokpal bill without accountability, flouting the basic structure of the Constitution.
After Parineeti Chopra and Aam Aadmi Party leader Raghav Chadha were spotted together on several occasions, rumours linking them have been doing the rounds.
Stepping up pressure, Anna Hazare on Thursday announced a new agitation of filling up jails (jail bharo) from January 1 if Parliament does not pass a strong Lokpal law, amid indications that it is unlikely to be done before the scheduled conclusion of the current winter session.
Anna Hazare came in for scathing attack from Congress leaders who dubbed him a RSS spokesperson for his charge against Rahul Gandhi over the Lokpal issue.
Vowing to bring in a strong Lokpal, Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that his party was committed to the upliftment of poor, farmers and common man.
In an apparent dig at Anna Hazare's campaign for Jan Lokpal Bill, National Advisory Council member Aruna Roy on Monday said one has the right to dissent in a democracy but not to overrule the functioning of Parliament and its multifarious structures.
Castigating Congress leaders and ministers for allegedly targeting social activist Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev on the Lokpal issue, Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday alleged that the Centre was behaving like an autocrat.
Ahead of the assembly polls, Team Anna will begin its campaign in Uttar Pradesh from Thursday on the Lokpal Bill, pressing various political parties to make clear their stand on the issue.
In an open letter to Team Anna, Colonel Anil Athale questions their obsession with the Lokpal Bill. Athale suggests the merger of existing anti-corruption wings of all departments and public enterprises with Lokpal instead of creating another huge army of clerks.
Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Thursday night said Anna Hazare will postpone his protests if Parliament session is extended to introduce and get the Lokpal Bill passed.
Team Anna on Monday invited leaders of all parties to Jantar Mantar on December 11, when Anna Hazare plans to sit on a day-long fast, to put their views on Lokpal Bill, a deviation from its stand on previous occasions when it did not allow politicians to share its platform.
On the eve of the winter session of Parliament, rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt narrates how the Congress party views the issues of corruption, Team Anna and Lokpal bill.
In his letter to the prime minister, Hazare said he would continue the campaign in the capital till the Lokayukta is not appointed and the Swaminathan Commission Report is not implemented.
Describing the passing of Lokayukta Bill in Uttarakhand as a "revolution" in governance, Team Anna member Kiran Bedi on Wednesday said their campaign in Hisar bypolls has paid dividends though some of them had to face "bitter" experiences due to it.
Immediately after Parliament agreed to Anna Hazare's three key demands on Lokpal Bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday sent him a letter conveying the same and urged the Gandhian to give up his 12-day fast. "As you know, Parliament today discussed Lokpal related issues. You will be happy to know that both Houses of Parliament have passed a resolution on the three points raised by you," Dr Singh said in the letter which was handed over to Hazare.
In an interview with rediff.com's Sahim Salim social activist Medha Patkar said that Team Anna expected a deadlock between the Congress and BJP when the BJP took a stance on the matter.
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