Veteran anti-graft crusader, Mr Anna Hazare, trained his guns directly at the Congress party on Tuesday.
He threatened to launch a campaign asking people not to vote for the party in the Assembly elections in five States if it did not pass the Jan Lokpal Bill in the Winter Session of Parliament.
He also threatened to fast for three days prior to the elections in Uttar Pradesh due next year, where the Congress is banking heavily on Mr Rahul Gandhi to steer its poll campaign.
Reacting to Mr Hazare's statement, the Union Law Minister, Mr Salman Khurshid, and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Mr Pawan Bansal, separately told the media in Delhi that the Government would bring the anti-corruption Bill in the Winter Session.
“Let the people judge. We have said that in the next session we are bringing not just this one Bill (Lokpal) but many other Bills as well,” Mr Khurshid said.
At a press conference in Ralegan Sidhi, along with Team Anna member, Mr Arvind Kejriwal, the 74-year old social activist said, “If the Jan Lokpal Bill is not passed in the Winter Session, I will name the Congress and ask people not to vote for it in the Assembly polls scheduled in five States next year.”
Mr Hazare said he would tour Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur, where elections are scheduled within a year and will kick-off his campaign on October 13 from Hisar (bye-elections) in Haryana.
On the 2G case and the Prime Minister's role, Mr Hazare said though Dr Manmohan Singh had not done anything wrong, he should not shy away from a ‘test by fire'.
“The Prime Minister's name has come up. He should face the agni pariksha . If he comes out clean, it will only do good. Why should one fear that?” he said.