Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday appealed to the Maoists to surrender arms and join the mainstream.

Patnaik’s appeal came close on the heels of seven ultras being eliminated during separate anti-Maoist operations in Bolangir and Kandhamal districts in the last week end.

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Stating that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated him on Odisha polices success in anti-Maoist operations, Patnaik said in a tweet it was high time for the misguided youths to surrender arms and join the mainstream. He also said that there was no place for violence in democracy.

Earlier last month in a statement in the Assembly, Patnaik had said that the left wing extremism had been contained and controlled in many districts even as it remained a challenge in certain pockets of Malkangiri, Koraput, Bolangir, Nuapada and Rayagada district.