JUST IN: Anna relents, accepts 15-day fast offer

In a late night breakthrough in the deadlock between Anna Hazare and Delhi police over the duration of his anti-corruption protest, the Gandhian accepted the offer for 14 days of hunger strike beginning tomorrow at the Ramlila Maidan.

"Anna has accepted the DP (Delhi Police) permission for two weeks (of fast). Anna now shall be at the Ramlila Ground grd post 3PM", Hazare's aide Kiran Bedi twitted.

The breakthrough came after a nearly 30-minute meeting.

Hazare aides Bedi, Prashant Bhushan, Manish Sisodia and Arvind Kejriwal had with Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta at the latter's residence in Chanakyapuri shortly after midnight.

Bedi said the Police Commissioner offered permission for 14 days of protest by 73-year-old Hazare at the Ramlila Ground, after which she, along with Bhushan, Sisodia and Kejriwal went back to the Tihar Jail, where the social activist has been staying put ever since her arrest and release on Wednesday, to apprise him of the offer.

Later, Bedi said on the micro-blogging site that Delhi Police "removed the unacceptable conditions and offered 15 days permission. Anna accepted there".

"Anna has accepted the DP permission for two weeks. Anna now shall be at Ramlila grd post 3PM", she added.

An announcement to this effect was also made by an associate of Hazare outside the Tihar jail, which was greeted with lusty cheers by hundreds of supporters by the Gandhian. "Anna has won. We will get Jan Lokpal Bill", one of the protesters said.