Kolkata:
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Maoists seem set on a collision course. In an open letter to the chief minister, Maoists have said talks and anti-Maoist operations by joint forces cannot continue simultaneously - a tit for tat reply to Ms Banerjee's recent statement that talks and Maoist killings cannot continue at the same time.
After assuming power in Bengal, Mamata Banerjee had appointed a committee of interlocutors to mediate with the Maoists. But her recent outburst against Maoists and their angry letter are setting the stage for a face-off.
Since September 20, Maoists have killed at least three people in West Midnapore - two of them Trinamool leaders. The result is an angry outburst by Ms Banerjee telling Maoists to stop the killings.
"Who has given you the right to kill? I am all for negotiation, so I have given lot of time...I will give more if you want. But you will murder and negotiate...that cannot be. You can't do both. You have to choose one," she said. (
Read: Mamata gives go ahead for talks with Maoists)
The state has also asked the Centre not to withdraw joint forces from Maoist-hit areas.
Clearly feeling cornered, the Maoists have written to Mamata Banerjee saying, "We are serious about peace talks and ready for a ceasefire. We had given specific proposals to the two interlocutors on our first meeting. But the government has to stop anti-Maoist operations by the joint forces and show willingness for peace."
"Mamata had earlier called Maoists idealists, now she is calling them murderers...Maoists are not trying to kill Mamata, as the chief minister had claimed," the letter also said.
On Thursday, Ms Banerjee told mediators talks could continue but not indefinitely.
"The government has told us to proceed with peace talks but there are certain issues. Those issues are to be raised before the main stakeholders," said mediator Sujato Bhadra.
There has been no response from the government to the Maoist's letter. But signals are that Ms Banerjee is running out of patience, and so are the Maoists - a situation that doesn't bode well for the state.