Government and Team Anna held discussions for the first time last night and both sides agreed on a number of issues leading to hopes of Hazare ending the fast.
"Anna will read every word of the written agreement as it pertains. Rest assured he is not going to take any chances at just about all. Today is crucial. His health as well as government giving a written commitment for tabling and passing in current session the Jan Lok Pal is essential, " activist Kiran Bedi said.
Team Anna claimed that three issues still remain the sticking point as there have been no agreement on citizen's charter, inclusion of lower bureaucracy and setting upward of Lokayukta in state through Lok Pal.
There were indications that government might consider bringing the Prime Minister underneath the ambit of the anti-corruption ombudsman while differences persisted on other key issues throughout the inconclusive talks.
Last night's negotiations capped a day of fast-moving developments which saw Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appoint Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee since the negotiator and immediately thereafter three members of Hazare's team met him.
Following three hours of talks, Team Anna said they made it clear to the government that the state Lok Pal Bill should either be withdrawn or allowed to lapse and the Jan Lok Pal Bill should be introduced and passed in the present session of Parliament by extending it, if necessary.
Meanwhile, Hazare refused to be put on a intravenous drip despite doctors advising him to do this once again this morning, his close associate said.
Hazare yesterday disregarded doctor's advice to become put on Intravenous (IV) drip and refused to take any medicine while warning the federal government against trying to forcibly evict him from the protest site of Ramlila Maidan right here.
Team Anna has also rejected the Prime Minister's offer to send the Jan Lok Pal Bill towards the Parliamentary Standing Committee. "We have told them that it is not suitable, " Arvind Kejriwal, a top associate of Hazare, said yesterday.
The talks followed the Prime Minister's letter to Hazare by which he appealed to him to end the fast saying he and the federal government have "abiding interest" in his health.
The Prime Minister's initiative saw Law Minister Salman Khurshid meeting Kejriwal in a flat near East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit's residence where it was communicated that Mukherjee would negotiate with Hazare's team.
Kejriwal said that during the discussions with Mukherjee it was conveyed how the basic principles of the Jan Lok Pal Bill should be preserved and also the Law Ministry should vet the draft in two-three days and return to them.
"The Congress, UPA and the government should give a commitment it will support the Bill and get it passed in this session by itself, if required by extending it by two-three days, " Kejriwal said.
Prashant Bhushan, an additional Hazare associate, said the government appeared to have no objection to bringing the Prime Minister underneath the ambit of Lokpal, while on judges, the government promised they will bring another law and "show it to us".
The civil society representatives claimed government has agreed how the anti-corruption wing of CBI will be under Lok Pal and the corrupt acts of members of Parliament is going to be covered by the ombudsman even if it was in pursuance of a vote cast or speech produced in Parliament which is now protected under Article 105.