NEW DELHI: An exasperated government finally gave political process a chance by junking its faltering techno-managerial response to the Lokpal standoff, initiating steps to placate Anna Hazare through accommodation and pre-emption.

The first indication came in senior Maharashtra bureaucrat U C Sarangi meeting Hazare. This addressed the lament in Congress that the Centre could have better employed people with enough domain knowledge on Hazare for negotiations instead of using ministers who have repeatedly erred in dealing with him.

Bhayyaji Maharaj, a well-grounded spiritual leader from the state, too jumped into mediation, with many seeing the hand of former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in the initiative. The eagerness for political engagement was evident in Union minister and former chief minister Sushil Kumar Shinde expressing willingness to talk to Hazare.

While it marked falling back on time-tested political approach, it was best exemplified in Congress MP Pravin Aaron sending the Jan Lokpal draft to standing committee considering the government's bill. Aaron's move sought to defuse the confrontation by showing that the parliamentary panel would consider Team Anna's version.

But more importantly, it allowed the government to look at the possibility of withdrawing from its "take it or lump it" stance without appearing to surrender. With the Hazare draft on the table now, observers feel the government could make changes on many contentious points.

For the beleaguered UPA at its wits' end, the change of tack is a desperate bid to end the spectacle of embarrassment in the heart of the capital and going viral. While using engagement, the ruling camp also offered accommodating words to civil society, far from accusations of corruption and 'foreign hand'.

Parliamentary panel chairman Abhishek Singhvi said Congress was aligned with Hazare's sentiment against corruption but urged people to have faith in the legislative process. "Give the standing committee a chance. Allow us to do our work. We may collectively surprise all those who are sceptical or cynical," Singhvi said.