Maoist attack an attempt to "influence" Lok Sabha polls: BJP

NEW DELHI: BJP today termed the Naxal attack on security personnel in Chhattisgarh as an attempt to "influence" the Lok Sabha polls.

"We condemn the unfortunate incident...Naxals carry out such strikes before elections. Before the assembly elections, they had carried out a similar attack to influence the polls but they failed. Again they have carried out an attack when the Lok Sabha polls have been announced. But they will fail this time too," BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters here.

Prasad also sought the reaction of "Delhi-based intellectual supporters of Naxalism" to today's attack on security personnel.

In a brazen attack, Naxals this morning ambushed a security team killing 15 personnel, including 11 of CRPF and a civilian in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.