Maharashtra CM, deputy, to meet Hazare on Thursday

Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and his deputy, Ajit Pawar, plan to hold separate meetings with social activist and anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare this week to discuss issues relating to the tabling of a bill for a strong Lok Ayukta in Maharashtra, expediting administrative reforms and to also discuss measures to curb graft.

These meetings, expected to take place on April 26 during Hazare's visit to Mumbai, are crucial, especially when the activist had announced a state-wide tour from May 1, to press for a strong Lok Ayukta in Maharashtra, as well as for the rest of the country.

Hazare and yoga guru Baba Ramdev have joined hands to press for a strong Lok Pal. While Hazare would start his agitation from Shirdi in Maharashtra, Ramdev plans to visit Chhattisgarh on May 1 to launch the agitation.

The move by Chavan and Pawar is meant to avoid an opportunity for Hazare to mobilise people against government, like his campaign in Delhi last year.

Though the Hazare factor did not work in the recently concluded elections to the 195 municipalities, 27 zilla parishads and 15 municipal corporations, both Chavan and Pawar do not want to take any chance ahead of the assembly elections slated for 2014.

Besides, the chief minister and deputy chief minister are meeting Hazare at a time when the government has been rapped by the Comptroller & Auditor General over lapses in sale and allotment of land to various educational institutions promoted by several top leaders and ministers.

Chavan told Business Standard, "I will meet Anna Hazare and will discuss at length on a range of issues. The state government is committed for a strong Lok Ayukta. Besides, my effort has been to bring in transparency in administration and sanity in governance. During my tenure as the chief minister of Maharashtra since November 2010, I have given priority for a public cause and not for personal gains. Discretionary powers have been reduced."

Chavan said the government would take all the necessary steps to curb corruption and malpractices.

Chavan's deputy, Ajit Pawar, who had met Hazare last year at his Ralegan Siddhi village, would apprise him about the government's stand on the Lok Ayukta. Pawar is expected to clarify the Nationalist Congress Party's views in this regard.

Hazare had also expressed his displeasure over the present toll collection system and he had been pursuing with the government for its cancellation. In its response, the state government had recently announced closure of about 30 toll collection centres and indicated some more would be closed down in phases.