Raman Singh for dialogue with Naxal leadership

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh wants a dialogue with Maoists and believes most thorny issues including Naxalism can be resolved through development.

In an interview to PTI/Bhasha, a day before five Chhattisgarh Police personnel were killed and two others injured when Naxals blew up their vehicle in Dantewada district, Singh said his government would be ready for talks with the Maoists if their leaders took take part in the meeting.

"We are ready for a dialogue with the top leadership of Naxals but it should include their politburo members then only some conclusive talks can take place," he said.

Singh, who is touring the state under a programme called 'Vikas Yatra', said the Centre and state government were making efforts to bring development to Naxal-affected areas.

Efforts were also on to strengthen communication networks in these areas and to bring people into the mainstream through development, he said.

National and state highways are being constructed which have led to a fall in Naxal activities, the chief minister said.

In the 2013 assembly elections, Singh said, "The Congress had won more seats in Naxal-hit Bastar region but this time we will get much better results."

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last month launched a phase of Ayushman Bharat -National Health Protection Scheme from Bijapur district of Bastar region.

The chief minister claimed there were no challenges before Prime Minister Modi because the 'artificial unity' of the opposition parties would crumble due to their 'infighting'.

"No challenges appear to be there for PM Modi right now. The Congress is trying to exist in Karnataka with the help of crutches. "Today, the opposition is displaying its artificial unity. This artificial unity will crumble due to infighting," Singh said.

The Congress has been restricted to just 10 per cent area of the country and now appears to be a regional party, the CM said.   -- PTI