Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, who survived an assassination attempt by naxalites of People's War Group (PWG) in October, says he is prepared to talk to them in the event of his party coming back to power provided they are "sincere" but ruled out talks for talks sake.

He is also not perturbed over moves by Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) who, he says, has promised to implement naxalite agenda, to tie up with Congress and left parties in the coming elections. However, he was critical that the Opposition Congress and TRS were virtually supporting the naxalites.

The Chief Minister seeking a third term in office is confident that his party will come back to power without any problem on the strength of its performance and development plank.

"If they (naxals) are sincere, we are prepared to have a dialogue with them but I want to make it clear my primary duty is to maintain law and order and protect the lives and properties of the people," he said.

Naidu, whose Government held two rounds of discussions with PWG's emissaries two years ago is bitter that the extremists "misused" the opportunity to gain time and regroup to strengthen itself. "I do not have any personal animosity with extremists. I have no personal problems. In a democracy, there is no place for violence. They believe in acquiring power through barrel of the gun and maintain guerrilla zones for their own Government, then it is impossible," he said.

Naidu wondered why naxalites were not joining the social mainstream at a time when things have changed and world over there is a growing revulsion to terrorism.

"I wanted to have a dialogue with them and offered rehabilitation package but they used the opportunity to procure Arms and strengthen their base. This is the biggest challenge in the country, not only in Andhra Pradesh," he said.

Appealing to extremists to join the mainstream, the Chief Minister said that because of naxalite activities, the State was suffering as it inhibited investments.

He lashed out at Opposition parties accusing them of keeping mum when scores of Telugu Desam and BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leaders and workers were being killed.

"Extremists are working underground and civil liberties activists are working overground. No political party is condemning them. The TRS has made it clear that it will implement naxalite agenda. Congress says it will order inquiry into all encounters," Naidu said.

About TRS, which is working for separate Telangana State, coming together with Congress and other parties in the coming elections, he said, " We are not bothered about it because people are with us."

About the demand for Telangana statehood, Naidu said he was convinced that while smaller administrative units were desirable, smaller States would weaken the country. A united Andhra Pradesh only would ensure all round development of the State.

Elaborating on why he was not worried about TRS joining the other Opposition parties, he said, "In elections, one plus one does not always make two." Citing earlier instances, he said that when parties had got together in the past the TDP (Telugu Desam Party) could not be humbled. Once TDP was defeated even when it had left parties with it.

Asked how he was confidant that TDP would survive incumbency problem when three Congress Governments fell to an anti-incumbency wave last year, Naidu said people understand things better and would vote a Government that has delivered.

In Madhya Pradesh, people voted against the Congress Government after it failed to deliver. The roads and power sector were in a terrible mess there, he said. He said during his recent "cycle yatra" across the State, he could see "euphoria" among the people. "People have a vested interest in development. They know if they miss the opportunity now (of voting TDP back to power) it will cost them heavily as development will be derailed," he said.

In 1999 polls, people had some doubts because Congress had created an impression that it was winning. But, this time people have no such doubts, he said.