Anna Hazare; (below) Arvind Kejriwal arrives at a media conference in New Delhi on Sunday. (PTI)

New Delhi, Dec. 15: When the Lokpal bill renews its date with Parliament on Monday, it will be doing so in a country that saw dramatic changes while the legislation was being revised.

The original “A-team” of Anna Hazare and Arvind Hazare, who had spearheaded the campaign in 2011, are now at loggerheads. If Hazare supports the revised bill that will try its luck afresh in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow, Kejriwal has dubbed it as “jokepal” that cannot even send “a mouse to jail”.

Hazare, who fasted then and who is fasting again, advised Kejriwal that perhaps the former acolyte could go on a hunger strike to ensure that his demands are met.

The status of the two has also changed. Kejriwal is the new star on the political firmament after a dream debut in the Delhi elections while Hazare has largely been relegated to his home in Ralegan Siddhi in Maharashtra.

Another change: in the last lap, Rahul Gandhi has sought to position himself on the Lokpal frontline. Which means other Congress leaders have also become converts to the Lokpal cause.

“Chances are high that the bill will be passed in the Rajya Sabha tomorrow,” Union minister of state for personnel V. Narayanasamy told reporters at Chennai airport today.

Close watchers of Lokpal will recall that it was from Narayanasamy’s hand that papers were snatched by an MP before the clock ran out on the Rajya Sabha the last time the bill was discussed there. The House had to be adjourned as the speeches dragged on close to midnight, prompting allegations of “choreographed” delaying tactics.

The minister’s confidence in getting the bill passed tomorrow is expected to be tested by the Samajwadi Party which had yesterday threatened to go to any extent to block the legislation.

The Congress hopes the Samajwadi Party, which has said the bill will lead to “police raj” and undermine democratic institutions and leaders, will back the legislation despite the threat.

BJP leaders have said they are ready to support the bill and get it passed “even without a discussion” and accused the “Congress and its allies” of stalling it.

Before the fireworks promised for tomorrow, pyrotechnics from the non-traditional front filled the airwaves.

Kejriwal today slammed Hazare for supporting the government bill.

“The sarkari Lokpal bill is a joke. Forget ministers, not even a mouse can be put in jail by this Lokpal,” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) boss said and vowed to fight for the bill proposed by Hazare during their 2011 protest against the Centre. The Lok Sabha passed the bill later that year.

Kejriwal is questioning the septuagenarian’s approval and claiming some “forces” were “misleading” him on the “toothless” and “useless Lokpal”.

“Why did Anna agree for such a jokepal? Which forces are misleading him? I am really sad,” Kejriwal tweeted last night. “Whatever Anna may say, we will continue our fight for Janlokpal bill till our last breath,” Kejriwal said, referring to the 2011 proposal.

Hazare, speaking from his fast venue in Ralegan Siddhi after Kejriwal’s comments, advised the AAP boss to read the bill. Hazare acknowledged that the current bill was not exactly the Janlokpal proposed by him but felt it was “strong”.

“I agitated and strengthened the bill to this extent. I have read the provisions of the bill properly. If you think the bill has any shortcomings, fast for it,” Hazare said, without naming Kejriwal, on the sixth day of his fast. Hazare declared he would end his fast only after the legislation is passed in both Houses of Parliament.

He added that the bill had been strengthened after incorporating the amendments proposed by the Rajya Sabha’s select committee.

Kiran Bedi, present during the 2011 fast and there with Hazare today, also urged Kejriwal to read the new bill before criticising it.

Kejriwal claimed he had gone through the draft and felt it had none of the three conditions on which Anna had agreed to call of his fast in August 2011. “None of the three conditions agreed upon when Anna broke his fast in August 2011 are there in this jokepal.”

The three conditions include bringing the Prime Minister under the ombudsman’s ambit, giving the Lokpal powers to take punitive measures and freeing the CBI from political control.

Yesterday, Rahul had appealed for support to the legislation, calling it a “very, very powerful instrument” in the fight against corruption.