New Delhi/Ranchi/Hazaribagh, Oct. 22: Union home minister P. Chidambaram today reviewed Jharkhand’s preparedness to launch a co-ordinated offensive against Maoists with the police top brass hours before the Union Cabinet approved the dissolution of the state Assembly, paving the way for the Election Commission to announce a poll schedule.

The Union home minister, who arrived in Ranchi late last night, held a series of high-level meetings in the capital and Hazaribagh, offering enough indications that the Centre was taking the fight against Maoists seriously without losing sight of the immediate concerns of Jharkhand — the installation of an elected state government by December.

The issue was discussed threadbare at today’s Cabinet meeting in New Delhi too following which Chidambaram said: “Consultations are on. The EC is on the verge of telling us that they are in a position to hold elections. The process is in motion.”

Information and broadcasting minister Ambika Soni, who briefed the media in New Delhi, said although the matter was discussed at length she wasn’t in a position to reveal details as a Presidential consent was required before the government could say anything.

“The Election Commission will announce the dates in a few days,” Chidambaram told newsmen in Ranchi earlier in the day after holding a review meeting with Governor K. Sankaranarayan and senior officials. Though he did not offer any dates, he assured the people of Jharkhand that polling would be peaceful and the Maoist problem would not come in the way.

“We do not know how the Maoists will take the elections here but in Maharashtra people voted despite a boycott,” he said.

At Hazaribagh, the minister met DGP V.D. Ram and a battery of officials, including chief secretary Shiv Basant and senior officials of Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, state and district police, to discuss operational readiness in combating Maoists.

Though he would not reveal the nature of the discussions, sources said the minister spent most of the time talking about finer points of the proposed operation.

While discussing strategy, the sources revealed, Chidambaram said over 16,000 jawans of paramilitary forces would assist state police in the operation. He also spoke to district officials to hear their views on ways to tackling the Maoists.

On the issue of Naxalism, Chidambaram reiterated the government’s state position and rejected the path of an armed struggle. “We believe that the democratic system offers to accommodate every shade of political opinion. Maoist ideology too could be accommodated in the democratic system.”

Rejecting Maoist spokesman Kishanji’s assertion that they were treating the abducted Bengal officer as a prisoner of war, Chidambaram ducked a query on a time frame for the proposed offensive.

He said words like “offensive” and “operation” against Maoists were media creations. “It was for the state government to decide when and how they tackle the menace. The Union government will come to their aid and assistance,” he added.

Though the minister joked about why he chose the district as the venue of his meeting — “I tossed a coin” — Hazaribagh does have a significance in the context of an anti-Maoist operation since it is set to be one of the two headquarters of the Cobra battalion.

Jharkhand has been under President’s rule since January 19 with the Opposition BJP crying hoarse and even moving the Supreme Court against the Centre’s decision to continue Governor’s rule by keeping the Assembly under suspended animation.

But today, Chidambaram stressed that the governor was not required to send a report for the dissolution. “I have already stated that the Centre will dissolve the House whenever the EC showed its preparedness to hold elections.”