The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to nominate S R Sankaran, former bureaucrat and founder-convenor of the Committee of Concerned Citizens, as chief negotiator for the proposed talks with the outlawed People's War group.

Speaking to newsmen in Hyderabad on Tuesday, Home Minister K Jana Reddy said the government would be sending a communication to the PW, mentioning the appointment of Sankaran as its chief negotiator.

Reddy said that the government had received a letter from the PW on the ongoing efforts for holding talks. The letter was delivered through revolutionary balladeer Gadar. While refusing to disclose the contents of the letter, he asserted that the correspondence between the two sides was positive.

He said the government would study the letter thorough and place it before the cabinet, if necessary. Concrete steps would be taken to facilitate the commencement of talks, Reddy added.

Sankaran held senior positions in the state administration and worked as secretary for rural development at the Centre. After his retirement as chief secretary in Tripura government, he settled back in Hyderabad and put together the Committee of Concerned Citizens.

He was among the seven IAS officers taken hostage by the PW Naxalites at Gurtedu in East Godavari district in 1987 to secure the release of six important extremist leaders.

He earned a lot of goodwill for his work in the social welfare department. He is known for his concern for Dalits, Girijans and the common man.