Hua Hin (Thailand), Oct 25 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Sunday that the central and state governments needed to fight the Maoists together.

Reiterating that the Maoist movement had emerged as the biggest internal security threat, Manmohan Singh told reporters here that "everything" needed to be done to overcome the problem.

He said while the law and order mechanism had to be strengthened, it was also necessary to tackle economic issues that create alienation among the deprived communities.

The prime minister declined to reveal the discussions he had had with West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on the violence unleashed by the Maoists.

"Both the state and central governments have an obligation to control the Naxalite problem," he said.

The prime minister's comments follow a dramatic surge in Maoist violence in the country. The movement, which emerged in 1967, has claimed thousands of lives over the past four decades. (IANS)