Govt ready to withdraw own Lokpal Bill, if Anna ends fast

In an attempt to make Anna Hazare break his fast, government is ready to withdraw the Lokpal Bill that was tabled in Parliament on August 4, according to sources. Govt will withdraw the bill only if Anna agrees to end his fast immediatley, said the sources. The all-party meet to look at a new draft of Lokpal Bill is under way.

Earlier in the day, three members of Team Anna -- Arvind Kejriwal, Kiran Bedi and Prashant Bhushan -- held talks with law minister Salman Khurshid, who was accompanied by East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit and Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's close aide Pawan Khera.

Team Anna submitted a fresh draft of Lokpal Bill in the meet.

The urgency to get Anna Hazare to break his nine-day fast was greater than passing a "good Lokpal bill", law minister Salman Khurshid also said on Wednesday.

"A good bill can come 10-15 days later but a fast cannot be broken 20 days later. So if we look at the priorities of urgency, then the urgency that the fast must come to an end is far greater, more serious than the urgency to pass the bill," Khurshid told reporters.