Hyderabad: Expressing serious concern over the growing left wing extremism, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on October 3 said the government should adopt a two-pronged strategy to effectively contain the menace.

"On one hand, rapid development of backward areas should be taken up and on the other, extremist activities should be firmly dealt with," Advani said in an informal chat with reporters at the Begumpet Airport before leaving for Delhi.

The Deputy Prime Minister who flew down to city to call on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who survived an assassination attempt by suspected People’s War Group (PWG) naxalites at Tirupati on October 1.

Advani said he had "discussions with officials in respect to the security aspect."

Affirming that the problem (naxalism) can be tackled by adopting two simultaneous moves, Advani said, it can be done first by ensuring rapid development of backward areas to drastically better the socio- economic conditions of the populace on one hand and secondly by taking very stern action against those indulging in violence.

PTI