Facing growing pressure from the anti-graft stir and Mr Anna Hazare’s failing health, Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Tuesday appealed to him to end his fast. He also deputed senior Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee to start talks with Team Anna.

In a letter to the veteran Gandhian, the PM said his Government was “prepared to request the Speaker, Lok Sabha, to formally refer the Jan Lokpal Bill also to the Standing Committee for their holistic consideration”.

Expressing ‘deep and genuine’ concern over his health, Dr Singh said he was even prepared to request the Parliamentary panel to “…fast track their deliberations to the extent reasonably feasible.”

However, Justice Mr Santosh Hegde, a Team Anna member, reportedly said that Parliament, not the Standing Committee, should discuss Jan Lokpal. To get wider political consensus, the Government has also called an all-party meeting on Wednesday.

Sources said the ice was broken after Dr Singh held discussions with senior Ministers, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, Mr A.K Antony and Mr P Chidambaram. He is also said to have held talks with Congress General Secretary, Mr Rahul Gandhi.

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