Chidambaram holds talks with Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee before Lalgarh visit

Union home minister P Chidambaram tonight met West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee here before his visit to Maoist-hit Lalgarh in West Midnapore district tomorrow.

"Tomorrow, tomorrow. Circuit House," Chidambaram cryptically told reporters when asked about his 40-minute meeting with the chief minister hinting that he would brief the press after his visit to Lalgarh.

The minister was understood to have reviewed the situation in Maoist-hit areas where the joint operations have achieved success in last few days as also the future strategy to tackle Maoist menace.

Chidambaram, who arrived here from Itanagar this evening, drove straight to the Raj Bhavan before meeting the chief minister at the Writers' Buildings.

He was assisted in the talks by Union home ministry joint secretary DRS Chowdhury and additional director, IB, P Mahendru.

The minister later held a meeting with chief secretary Asoke Mohan Chakraborty, home secretary Ardhendu Sen and DGP Bhupinder Singh.

Neither the chief minister nor the chief secretary briefed newsmen about the talks.

Chidamabaram had last held talks with the West Bengal and Orissa chief ministers and two deputy chief ministers of Jharkhand here on February 9.