A coordinated attempt to tackle naxalites, including the dialogue process initiated by the Andhra Pradesh government with the People's War and Janashakti groups, was mooted at the one-day meeting of chief ministers and home ministers of nine naxalite-affected states on Tuesday.

Though Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, who convened the meeting, reiterated the view that the states were free to talk to naxalite outfits within the Constitution's framework and offered the central government's help, it was suggested that a national policy be evolved on the issue.

Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states -- particularly Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh, which have borne the brunt of naxalite violence of late -- wanted the Union government to evolve a consensus and draw up a plan on the issue of peace talks between the affected states and the naxalite groups.

Only three CM's -- Dr Y S Rajasekhar Reddy (Andhra Pradesh), Arjun Munda (Jharkhand) and Naveen Patnaik (Orissa) -- attended the meeting. Home ministers, home secretaries and directors general of police represented the other states.

Patil maintained that the meeting's objective was to discuss the security situation in the affected states and it was not his aim to evolve a consensus or find a quick-fix solution to the naxalite violence. The central government believed in exploring various options with the goal of establishing peace.

He hinted that the government was in favour of adopting a mutli-pronged approach by dealing with it both as a socio-economic and a law and order issue.

Dr Reddy gave a presentation on the peace initiative of his government and the law and order situation before and after the declaration of ceasefire by the AP government and PW.