The Orissa government has agreed to release top Maoist leader Ramakrishna’s wife Padma, alias Sharada, as well as state committee member Ganti Prasad as an initial gesture to kickstart talks to secure the release of Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi.
Sources said, however, that the release of just these two might not be enough for the Maoists to release their hostages as they want a majority of their seven demands met.
Prof. G. Hargopal and Prof. Someswara Rao have been named as mediators for the talks, while the participation of a third mediator, civil rights activist S. Seshaiah, is yet to be finalised. The two mediators have reached the Orissa capital and the talks are due to begin on Sunday.
The Maoists, meanwhile, have named Ganti Prasad, now in Ongole jail, and Srimallu Srinivas, in Malkangiri jail, as their representatives.
Srinivas moved his bail application in the Malkangiri fast-track court late Saturday afternoon, Prasad has been taken to Koraput on a prisoner transit warrant.