Agartala, April 3: After 25 years of existence, the National Liberation Front of Twipra (NLFT) militants is all set to engage in tripartite peace talks with Centre and state for a permanent solution to the issues raised by the outfit.

According to sources in the state administration, the peace talks involving senior-most officials of the state and Union home ministry and representatives of the militant outfit will begin initially in Shillong this month.

In the event of a good beginning and if the talks progress, the scene of action will shift to Delhi, officials said.

Sources said towards the end of last year, NLFT chief Biswamohan Debbarma had addressed a letter to the Union home ministry expressing the outfit's desire to surrender en masse to the Centre and place their terms and conditions through peace talks.

"The Union home ministry in a letter sought the opinion of the state government on the issue. The state government agreed to the peace talks only to finalise the modalities of surrender in the interest of peace in the state and the opinion was communicated to the Union home ministry. Now, the peace talks are expected to begin latest by the end of April," a senior official in the state home ministry said.

However, the official indicated that the talks would meet with failure in case the NLFT raised any political demand because the state government would never accept any political demand of the banned outfit which is "isolated from the indigenous people because of their activities".

The state government would gladly finalise modalities for surrender of arms, ammunition and man for restoration of complete peace and harmony in the state.

The official said it was only at the time of tripartite talks involving the state government, Union home ministry and the TNV, led by Bijay Hrangkhawal, that one political demand - that of raising the number of tribal reserved seats from 17 to 20 - had been conceded to by the Centre and a bill passed in Parliament.

But the Centre did not entertain any political demand of the NLFT's breakaway faction led by Nayanbasi Jamatya had come overground for peace talks in May 2004. He was given safe passage back to Bangladesh after the talks failed.

"So there is no question of making any political concession now because the NLFT is totally isolated from the people and it represents nobody; we will finalise only the modalities for surrender and the rehabilitation benefits they will get," said the state home ministry official.