BHUBANESWAR: The agitating tribals of Kalinga Nagar on Saturday decided to hold a formal dialogue with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on January 31.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Visthapan Virodhi Janmanch, the organisation that has been spearheading the agitation since January 2 last year.

However, sources in official circles said the Janmanch leaders might take a rigid stand on their demands when they finally come for discussion and the dialogue may not achieve the expected results.

But Jajpur district Collector Arabinda Kumar Padhee said the administration was hopeful of a peaceful resolution of the issue. "We are expecting a positive outcome," he said.

The Janmanch had earlier written a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressing its willingness to hold talks with the government at the highest political level in the wake of a High Court order directing the government to remove the road blockade on Daitari-Paradip highway near Kalinga Nagar.

Responding to the Janmanch offer, the Chief Minister's Office had written a letter through the district Collector that Mr. Patnaik was ready to hold dialogue to put an end to the agitation.

Police firing

The Janmanch had been continuing with the road blockade agitation since 13 tribals were killed in police firing last year while opposing construction of a boundary wall for a proposed steel of Tata Steel.

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