MUMBAI: In April 2011, when social activist Anna Hazare began his fast unto death to demand for a Lokpal bill, the then Congress government at the Centre froze, sending emissary after emissary to convince him. However, Anna did not budge. The Centre finally buckled and gave in to his demands.Six years later, faced with a similar situation, the BJP government at the Centre managed to quell Hazare’s protest without much controversy. Ironically, in doing so, the BJP took a leaf out of senior Congress leader late Vilasrao Deshmukh ’s own book on how to deal with Hazare.A month back when Anna Hazare first announced that he would go on fast in Delhi, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis sent in his close confidant, Minister of Water Resources Girish Mahajan, assuring Hazare that his demands would be looked into. Mahajan held two one-onone meetings with Hazare, and according to BJP leaders, assured the striking activist that the Centre would fulfill all his demands. However, with no concrete assurance about timeline coming, Hazare told Mahajan that he would go ahead with the fast.The BJP however, did not give up. Even when Hazare went to Delhi, Fadnavis, in consultations with the BJP top brass, sent Mahajan to Delhi to be in touch with Hazare. Mahajan was ensconced at Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi for most part of Hazare’s agitation. BJP leaders said that he again got in touch with Hazare on March 24, the second day of his agitation. According to those who were witness to the negotiations, Hazare was told by Mahajan that the Centre had in-principle accepted all his demands on higher remuneration for farmers and electoral reforms.However, Hazare did not back down because Mahajan’s offer had nothing on the Lokpal issue. Getting nothing on Lokpal bill would have been a loss of face for Hazare. Sensing this, the BJP brass sent another offer, this time a letter from the PMO signed by Jitendra Singh. Sources said the draft was shown to Hazare on March 27, and the fast was ended on March 30. Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis specially flew to Delhi and offered him coconut water to mark the end of the fast.Old Congress hands said the BJP only followed the script of late Vilasrao Deshmukh, who as Chief Minister, had handled many similar fasts of Hazare. “What Vilasrao did was simple. He employed a direct communication with Hazare even before he went on fast. He did not try to use force to stop the fast sensing that it could lead to a bigger problem. He kept Anna in good humour and agreed to most of his demands on the fourth or sixth day of the fast. This way both went home happy,” said the Congress leader.According to him, the main difference between how Congress and BJP handled the stirs was that Congress leaders did not involve Vilasrao and spoke to leaders other than Anna. “In 2011, they did not use Vilasrao and communicated with Kejriwal and others. Anna was not kept in the loop that I believe was the crucial difference. Also, it was important that you establish a line of communication with Anna even before his agitation begins. This is very important. If he feels ignored by the government, then it becomes a ego issue.”said a Congress leader.For the record, the letter signed by Jitendra Singh to Hazare has nothing concrete on the Lokpal. It has only assured that the government would try to resolve the matter in another six months. Though Anna Hazare has said that he would be back again if the government doesn’t fulfill the demand in that time, the government could at least convince him to end the strike.