Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Monday ruled out any links between the Trinamool Congress and Maoists. He said the Trinamool was in total agreement with the Centre's policy of carrying out simultaneous police action and developmental activities to tackle left-wing extremism.
Mr. Chidambaram said the Assembly poll boycott call by Maoists would have no effect on people. He expressed the hope that the voter turnout in the Maoist-affected areas of West Bengal would be as high as in other areas.
“Our position about the Maoist issue is that police action and development activities should go hand-in-hand. We must have development and also take police action whenever and wherever Naxalites indulge in violence,” he said at a press conference when asked about Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee's stand that her party would prefer talks with Maoists rather than conflict.
