New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) The Left Front government in West Bengal is not willing to hold talks with the Maoists unless they abjure violence, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member Biman Bose said Sunday.
“How can we talk with the Maoists who have declared war against the state and its people?” Bose countered to a question about the possibility of the state government holding talks with the rebels.

Bose, who is also the chairman of the Left Front in the state, said the government was ready for dialogue, “if they (Maoists) abjure violence.”

Bose’s comments came on the day Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee met Home Minister P. Chidambaram to discuss the Maoist menace. West Bengal is one of the states seeing increased violence by the Left-wing rebels.

According to sources, Bhattacharjee and Chidambaram discussed the ways to tackle the increased Maoist violence in West Bengal and the neighbouring states.

The 45-minute long breakfast meeting was held at Chidambaram’s residence here.

On Thursday, the Cabinet Committee on Security approved a new plan to counter Maoists, in the wake of the killing of a Jharkhand police officer.

Both Bose and Bhattacharjee were in the national capital to attend a CPI-M politburo meeting.