New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) The Congress party Wednesday said Anna Hazare and his team should fight the next general elections and then get their version of the Lokpal bill passed in parliament.

"Nothing happens by sitting on fast at Jantar Mantar. Anna Hazare and his team should find constitutional ways to get their demands accepted," Congress leader Rashid Alvi said.

"If the legislation (Lokpal bill) is not according to their choice, instead of taking the unconstitutional way, they should make their candidates fight the next general elections, come to parliament and get their legislation," Alvi said.

The statement comes ahead of Team Anna's scheduled meeting with members of the parliamentary standing committee which is working on the anti-graft bill.

Anna Hazare has announced that he would sit on a fast from Aug 16 to protest against the government's Lokpal bill. Earlier, he staged a fast at Jantar Mantar in Delhi from April 5 to 9, after which the government agreed to include civil society members in drafting the bill.

There were, however, differences in the joint drafting committee, and the final draft of the bill tabled in parliament by the government was criticised by the civil society as being ineffective.