Mumbai:
A nephew of noted social activist Anna Hazare today returned to the Congress fold amidst allegations that the party was behind the smear campaign against the civil society members of the joint Lokpal Bill drafting committee.
Vinayak Deshmukh, son of Hazare's sister, and a native of Ahmednagar district, was associated with Youth Congress.
He left the youth wing to join the NCP and after working in the Sharad Pawar-led party for a couple of years, he is now back in the Congress.
"I was disappointed with NCP's style of functioning and therefore decided to come back. It has nothing to do with the anti-corruption campaign led by Hazare," Deshmukh said.
Deshmukh had supported the campaign as an "individual" and was with Hazare in Delhi for some time during his fast early this month. However, he insisted that his re-induction into the party was decided much earlier.
"I wanted to come back and was in touch with the Congress party leaders for over three months. There is nothing political behind my move," he said.
Maharashtra Congress President Manikrao Thakre, who was present during Deshmukh's re-entry into the party, said, "He had been a Youth Congress leader for a long time. He had gone to NCP, but is now back into the party."
He denied any political motive behind Deshmukh's decision. "Our party leader Soniaji has made her stand clear about the campaign. The party is against corruption," he said.
Hazare had written a letter to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, asking her to rein-in her party leaders attacking civil society members of the Lokpal Bill panel.