Ramdev was RSS' plan A, Hazare is plan B: Digvijay

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Saturday said Anna Hazare is "under the influence of people who have their separate political agenda" and asked Team Anna to wait for the decision of Parliament before attacking party leader Rahul Gandhi on the Lokpal Bill.

"I request Anna Hazare and members of his team to wait for the decision of Parliament before attacking Rahul Gandhi on the Lokpal Bill," Singh said in response to a question during a press conference convened to apprise the media about the visit of Rahul Gandhi to Lucknow.

"Actually, Anna Hazare is a simple person and says whatever people surrounding him ask him to say," Singh said, adding the activist is under the influence of people who have their own political agenda.

"The central government wants to bring a strong and good Lokpal Bill. Members of all political parties were members of the Standing Committee and some of them have also expressed doubts about some parts of the draft prepared by it. Now, it is for Parliament to either pass it or reject it," he said, asking Team Anna to await the decision of Parliament.

To a question on Hazare's threat to campaign against Congress in the assembly poll-bound states in case the Lokpal Bill was not passed in the winter session of parliament, Singh quipped "Anna ka swagat hai" (We welcome Anna).

Reiterating his allegation that Anna's agitation is sponsored by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, Digvijay Singh said that as stated by him earlier, RSS planned to make corruption an issue to "divert" people's attention.

"Baba Ramdev was their plan A while Anna Hazare is their plan B and Sri Sri Ravishankar is their plan C", he said.

On the forthcoming assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Digvijay Singh said 213 candidates of the total 403 have already been announced while efforts were on to decide the remaining names by the month-end.

Claiming that his party would put up a surprisingly good performance in the forthcoming polls, Singh said the Rashtriya Lok Dal has decided to join the United Progressive Alliance and both the parties would together contest the elections.

The Congress leader claimed that several leaders of UP's ruling Bahujan Samaj Party and opposition Samajwadi Party were in touch with him.