New Delhi: Congress today (Oct 25, 20040 dubbed as "baseless" BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) president L K Advani's charge that UPA (United Progressive Alliance) Government was compromising with country's internal security by clearing the talks between Andhra Pradesh Government and the naxalites, and said it was committed to bringing into mainstream all groups and individuals who have "drifted" away.

"Advani's charge that UPA is compromising internal security of the country is not true. It is baseless," party spokesman Anand Sharma told reporters.

Referring to Advani's objection to holding of talks with Naxalites by Andhra Pradesh Government, Sharma said law and order was a State subject and the State Government was fully competent to initiate dialogue to resolve the issue.

He accused the BJP chief of making the statement at the behest of his ally TDP (Telugu Desam Party) chief Chandrababu Naidu with whom Advani had a meeting in Hyderabad yesterday (Oct 24, 2004).

Sharma said Congress was fully committed to bringing back into the mainstream all those "individuals, factions and organisations" who had drifted away and reminded the former Home Minister that the NDA Government had announced ceasefire with militants to initiate peace process.

Sharma recalled Congress party's election manifesto and the party president Sonia Gandhi's assurance before the polls of holding talks with such forces and said it was only fulfilling its promise.

"The issue was also part of UPA Government's Common Minimum Programme which was later mentioned by President A P J Abdul Kalam in his address to the joint session of Parliament," he said.