Rajya Sabha Chairperson calls all-party meet to break Lokpal deadlock

New Delhi: Rajya Sabha Chairperson Hamid Ansari has called an-all party meet on Monday at 4 pm in an attempt to break the deadlock over the Lokpal Bill. The government has said that all efforts are on to ensure the Lokpal Bill is passed in the current session.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said they're trying to convince the Samajwadi Party to not obstruct the passage of the Bill and are willing to extend the Parliament session if the need arises. "Lokpal Bill is government's highest priority. Even if we have to extend Parliament session to pass it, we will do so. We are trying to persuade SP to support Lokpal Bill," Kamal Nath said.

But the SP remains firm that it will not support the Bill. "Our stand hasn't changed, we will continue to oppose the Lokpal Bill in Rajya Sabha as we have been doing," said SP leader ram Gopal Yadav.

BSP chief Mayawati has said that her party will support the Lokpal Bill.

Meanwhile, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal and anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare are completely divided over the Lokpal bill. While Anna says he is satisfied with the government's version of the Lokpal, Kejriwal has called it a joke and says Anna has been misled.

Anna, however, said that he will continue his fast till the Lokpal Bill is passed by Parliament. Anna was highly critical of Kejriwal for opposing the Lokpal Bill. "Let Arvind Kejriwal do whatever he wants, I do not want to react to what his team members are saying. If Kejriwal and team say there are shortcomings in the Bill, then he should protest," said Hazare to thunderous applause from his supporters.

The Aam Aadmi Party has outrightly rejected the government's Lokpal Bill saying it is powerless and won't be able to curb corruption.

Another anti-corruption activist and former IPS officer Kiran Bedi, who was with Hazare on stage, backed Hazare's claim saying the Bill was strong enough to be passed by Parliament. "Kejriwal should read the Bill if he has not read it," said Bedi.

The tension between the two sides have been simmering ever since Kejriwal went against Hazare's wishes to form a political party, the AAP, for a strong Jan Lokpal Bill.

AAP has maintained that the current Bill does not give autonomy to the CBI. "Appointment of Lokpal is in the hands of the politicians who themselves need to be investigated. So we cannot expect fair investigation," said Kejriwal.