New Delhi : With Team Anna asking people not to back their party in Hisar Lok Sabha bypolls, chief ministers of three Congress-ruled states and senior leaders on Monday hit back at the Jan Lokpal Bill champions, dubbing them as agents of Opposition “trying to grind their own axe in the guise of fighting graft”.

Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, addressing a party rally here, took a veiled dig at Anna Hazare, saying corruption could not be eliminated by supporting corrupt politicians.

“People would get rid of corruption only by sidelining them politically,” Hooda said at the rally organised in support of party candidate Jai Prakash.

Prakash is locked in a triangular contest with Haryana Janhit Congress  Bharatiya Janata Party’s  Kuldeep Bishnoi and Indian National Lok Dal’s Ajay Singh Chautala for the October 13 bypolls, necessitated due to death of sitting MP and former Chief Minister Bhajan Lal.

The state Congress tried to put up a united show ahead of the polls, which have assumed significance with Anna factor dominating the event.

The rally saw participation from a galaxy of leaders, including Delhi   Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit, Rajasthan   Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot  AICC general secretary and in charge Haryana Affairs B K Hariparsad, Union Minister Selja, Haryana Congress President Phool Chand Mullana and Congress MP Raj Babbar. However, Congress General Secretary and Hooda’s known detractor, Birender Singh was absent.

Attacking Team Anna, which has been campaigning in Hisar for the past few days against the Congress, Hooda said, “They should also tell in whose favour people should cast their vote. If the issue is corruption then people should not cast their vote in favour of corrupt people. Corruption cannot be eradicated by supporting corrupt leaders.”