Centre today expressed confidence that the Lokpal bill will be passed in the Rajya Sabha. Talking to reporters in Chennai airport, Union Minister of State for Personnel V Narayanasamy, who had moved the amended Lokpal Bill in the Upper House on Friday, said Congress and its allies and BJP support the Bill even as Mulayam Singh Yadav's SP, which provides outside support to the UPA government, has made its opposition clear.

Citing the support of BJP to the Lokpal Bill even without discussion, Congress General Secretary Digvijay Singh on Twitter hoped that Samajwadi Party will reconsider its opposition to the anti-graft measure.

Giving a major push to Lokpal, Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi yesterday appealed to political parties to set aside their differences to ensure the bill's passage to fight corruption saying that this was was in the national interest.

Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party, AAP, has said the current form of Lokpal Bill is not acceptable to it as it is weak. Addressing a news conference in New Delhi today, AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal said the party will continue its movement for a strong lokpal bill across the country. Kejriwal said unless CBI is given full autonomy, corruption cannot be stemmed out.

Rubbishing Arvind Kejriwal's contention, anti-graft crusader Anna Hazare has expressed satisfaction over the amended Lokpal bill presented in the Rajya Sabha. Talking to reporters in Ralegan Siddhi today Anna Hazare said several of his expectations from the legislation have been met.

The amended bill delinks setting up of Lokayuktas in states, a highly controversial provision because of which many parties had opposed it in the House in December last year. The new bill also grants powers to ombudsman to sanction prosecution against public servants.