As if to demonstrate that his feet were firmly on terra firma, the CM threw security concerns to the winds, squatted on the ground alongside the agitators and gave them a patient hearing. ``I have always felt that it is impossible for common citizens to fix an appointment with the chief minister. It was a pleasant surprise that Rane came all the way here to speak to us,'' said a member of the D P Prathmik Shikshan Kruti Samiti, whose representatives camping at Azad Maidan to sort out educational problems have been braving the summer sun for several days.

``We have never met such a down-to-earth chief minister. He not only sat with us on the chatai, but offered water to several agitators who are on a hungerstrike,'' said another wide-eyed agitator.

Among the organisations that Rane met today were the Padvidhar Aunshkalin Karmachari Samiti and the Maharashtra Rajya Nivadnuk Karmachari Sangathana.

However, the CM refused to entertain the members of the Republican Zopadpatti Samiti as none of the organisation's leaders were present on the spot. The Chief Minister told the Samiti's workers matter-of-factly that he would have a dialogue with the group only if their leaders came forward.

Today's impromptu action on the part of the CM came as a welcome surprise for the agitators. Thousands of agitators usually pitch for days on end at the Maidan during sessions of the Legislative Assembly to draw the government's attention to their problems, but they hardly get a chance to meet any of the leaders.