Team Anna seeks TDP's support for Lokpal bill
Social activist Anna Hazare's team on Saturday sought support of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) for a strong anti-corruption Lokpal Bill.
Hazare's associate and Right to Information activist Arvind Kejriwal met TDP chief and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to seek his support for the bill drafted by civil society.
He briefed Naidu on the discussions the civil society representatives have so far held with the government and their objections to the government's draft bill.
"Mr Naidu said he would discuss the issue in the party and then take a stand," Kejriwal told reporters after meeting Naidu at his residence here.
"The government is saying a strong Lokpal with the prime minister within its ambit will create a parallel government but our stand is that this will not create a parallel government but will be an independent body," Kejriwal said.
The RTI activist claimed that the Lokpal would be an independent agency like Central Bureau of Investigation.
"In other countries, the anti-corruption body is independent of the executive," he said.
Kejriwal said while their anti-corruption movement was above politics, they were seeking support of all political parties so that the bill for a strong Lokpal bill is passed in parliament.
TDP MP N. Nageswara Rao told reporters that Naidu agreed with the need for a comprehensive Lokpal bill and an independent agency to deal firmly with corruption.
He said the TDP would present its views at an all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and take a clear stand in parliament.
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