The Maoist leadership has said on Monday that it will agree for talks with the authorities if they stop their security operations for a period of 72 days. Maoists have been facing 'Operation Green Hunt' which is a combined effort of the centre with four affected states.

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram earlier said that the government would hold talks with the outfit if they halt violence for 72 hours.

The Maoist Polit Bureau leader Kishanji, through an associate, Raju contacted a newspaper to convey that they are ready to talk if the government stopped "violence" from February 25 to May 7.

"In reply to the Centre's condition that they are ready for dialogue if the Maoists halt violence for 72 hours, we propose that we will talk with the Centre only if it stops violence against innocent people in the forest belts across the five States for 72 days," said Raju.

The Maoists also indicated they want the inclusion of intellectuals and Human Rights activists in the talks. The outfit did not clarify if its previous condition for holding talks, which was to release all prominent Maoist leaders from several prisons across the country announced by another leader Ganapathy, still stands.

The government said it was "studying" the Maoist offer and would come with a response at an "appropriate time." A government official indicated that if the offer is unconditional then the government might consider it. The government response is expected by Tuesday.

The spokesperson for the congress party said that the conditions on talks makes the offer 'meaningless'.