Daijiworld Media Network

New Delhi, Jul 1: Lokpal bill draft is now reaching a significant stage, with various senior political leaders giving their opinions, and opposition parties all set to fire the government for putting the ball into their court.

On Thursday, BJP chief Nitin Gadkari had said, "Now UPA wants BJP's support to draft Lokpal bill because it has some senstive issues to deal with, but why is UPA approaching us so late? Where was UPA when the civil society and the government representitives were appointed? Why do they need us now?" He even hinted that BJP may skip the all-party meeting on July 3.

Later in the day, Bihar chief minister too spoke in a similar manner and criticised the UPA on the Lokpal bill, saying that the Centre is seeking an escape route to come out of the crisis by putting pressure on opposition parties.

"Why should we provide them the escape route? We are not going to bail out the government in this issue," he said soon after his meeting with Anna Hazare, who came to meet Nitish for a series of meetings conducted with top political leaders of nation.

Three days ahead of the all-party meet on the Lokpal Bill, the opposition appeared to be in no mood to play to the gallery and raise the government's comfort level for dealing with the threat of a prolonged agitation by civil society activists. The NDA, which is trying to rope in other non-UPA parties to evolve a common strategy at the meeting, wants the bill to be first ratified by the Union Cabinet or the prime minister.