Hazare defers plan to campaign against Congress in five poll-bound states

Anti-corruption activist Anna Hazare has deferred his plans of touring five poll-bound states after prime minister Manmohan Singh assured him that a strong Lokpal bill would be introduced in the winter session of parliament.

''When the country's prime minister is giving the assurance then we have to believe in him,'' said Hazare on Wednesday. ''If we are in talks with the federal government and the issue concerns the country and society, then we have to put our plans on hold.''

The decision came a day after Hazare's aide at Ralegan Siddhi near Pune in Maharashtra confirmed that a letter had been received from the Prime Minister's Office, assuring him that the bill would soon be introduced in parliament. The letter, in response to Hazare's note to the prime minister, had been written by V Narayansamy, minister of state in the PMO, on behalf of Singh.

Hazare had written to Singh on 31 October threatening to launch another fast if his government failed to bring in the promised Lokpal bill during the winter session of parliament. The activist had accused the government of downgrading the Lokpal to ''an empty tin box with no powers,'' in its proposed bill.

Hazare said he was also surprised to learn that the government's bill had decided to exclude a citizen's charter and to exempt the lower bureaucracy from the ambit of the Lokpal, which was contrary to the resolution passed unanimously in parliament.

Hazare had warned of not only launching another fast, but had threatened to go on a tour of five poll-bound states to campaign against the Congress. 

The activist has also revived his blog, which was stopped a few weeks ago following a fall-out with Raju Parulekar, who used to manage it.

Arvind Kejriwal, a key member of Team Anna, will now be monitoring the blog, 'Anna Hazare says,' which has also been shifted to the website of India Against Corruption.