Imphal, August 22: Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has asserted that the State Government is not averse to holding talks with ANSAM in connection with the demand on June 18 declaration and negated any doubts that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh is exerting pressure to hold talks with ANSAM.

Talking to mediapersons at his office chamber this afternoon, the Chief Minister clarified that his recent visit to New Delhi and subsequent meetings with the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and AICC president Sonia Gandhi was an official visit to highlight the problems of Manipuri people to the Central leaders.

Stating that he was not summoned as widely believed earlier, the CM said that it was an official visit to highlight the problems being faced by the people following the 52-day economic blockade imposed by ANSAM on the National Highway as well as to apprise the central leaders with various other important issues.

The CM further clarified that there was no talk with any of the leaders of ANSAM while at he was at New Delhi.

The demand of the ANSAM being a State issue, the Chief Minister assured that his Government will be putting its best possible efforts to bring an amicable solution with the leaders of the agitating student body at the earliest possible.

The Chief Minister opined that Imphal would be the best venue for holding the talks.

However, if ANSAM is opposed to such an idea, the matter would be taken note off and other possible venues, acceptable to all concerned may be considered, he added.

When asked what steps are being taken up by the Government to solve the present fertiliser crisis, the Chief Minister informed that he had been informed by Agriculture Minister Ph Parijat who is presently at Namrup that 80 trucks have been loaded with fertilisers.

If there is no bandh and blockade along the way, the fertiliser trucks would be arriving at Imphal very soon, he said, adding that once these trucks arrived then the problem of shortage of fertiliser being faced by the farmers would be mitigated gradually.