Lokpal logjam: Government, Team Anna meet ends; next round of talks tomorrow

NEW DELHI: The meeting between the government and Team Anna over the Lokpal Bill impasse ended on Tuesday evening without any breakthrough. The next round of talks will be held on Wednesday.

"We discussed main issues about the Lokpal Bill. The government asked time till Wednesday morning to consider our demands," Anna Hazare aide Arvind Kejriwal said.

"The government said Anna Hazare should end fast, it is difficult to persuade Annaji to end fast," Prashant Bhushan said.

"Till there are written commitments, Anna Hazare will not relent," added Kiran Bedi.

In the first major breakthrough in the week-long standoff, the government on Tuesday appointed finance minister Pranab Mukherjee as its negotiator for talks with Team Anna Hazare over their demand for a strong Lokpal.

Kejriwal, along with Prashant Bhushan and Kiran Bedi, attended the meeting with Pranab Mukherjee.

The Prime Minister, who held discussions with Mukherjee and senior ministers A K Antony and P Chidambaram, also wrote a letter to Hazare informing him of the initiative and appealed to him to end his fast, which entered the second week today.

He also told him that the government was concerned about his health.