MUMBAI: As anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare 's hunger strike for a comprehensive Lokpal Bill entered the third day, but the Centre appears to have failed to assess the gravity of the situation in time.A senior Congress minister said instead of finance minister Pranab Mukherjee or human resource development minister Kapil Sibbal , the Centre should have roped in rural development minister Vilasrao Deshmukh or power minister Sushilkumar Shinde, both former chief ministers of Maharashtra, to liaise with Hazare."It was inept handling of the situation. The Centre entrusted the task to ministers who were completely in dark on the popularity and strength of Hazare. Had it taken serious note of Hazare's warning, the row over the Lokpal Bill would have been settled amicably long back," he said.Well over a year ago, Hazare announced he will launch a nationwide agitation for a comprehensive legislation that will allow criminal prosecution not only against Union cabinet members, but the prime minister too. Six months ago, Hazare sent a letter to the PM saying if no decision is taken on the Lokpal Bill he will launch an indefinite hunger strike in the national capital from April 5. For the last two months, Hazare toured Maharashtra to explain to people the need for a Lokpal to halt corruption, addressing 30 public meetings. He also held strategy planning meetings with former IPS officer Kiran Bedi , RTI activist Arun Kejriwal and social worker Swami Agnivesh."The Centre should have obtained information from the Maharashtra government on his state-wide tour and the impact of agitations undertaken by Hazare in the past," he said.In the past, Hazare's agitations resulted in five cabinet members being dropped on corruption charges - Shashikant Sutar, then agriculture minister, Babanrao Gholap , then social welfare minister, Sureshdada Jain , then food and civil supplies minister, Nawab Malik, then housing minister and Padamsinh Patil, then irrigation minister.Hazare has launched seven hunger strikes in eight years over the Right To Information Act, laws on transfers and pendency of files and rampant corruption in cooperative societies. "All his agitations were successful but did not last for more than two days, following interventions by the chief ministers and senior bureaucrats," the minister said.