Grappling with the twin hostage crisis involving a BJD MLA and an Italian, Odisha government was tightlipped despite an ultimatum by Maoist mediators to pull out of talks if no response is received on the demands of rebels who said they are ready to release the foreigner if 3 of their 13 conditions are met.

Though Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik held closed door meetings with BJD MLAs from Koraput district, senior police officers and home department officials, there was no word from government on the progress made in the hostage crisis involving a lawmaker and an Italian.

"The chief minister will give a statement in the assembly today. We should not speak anything outside as the assembly is in session," Chief Secretary B K Patnaik told reporters after a four-hour meeting.

The state government suffered a setback in its effort to free abducted BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka as Maoists turned down a request by chief minister to name their negotiators for talks to resolve the crisis.

While the government had no information on the fate of the Laxmipur MLA abducted on March 24, Italian Paolo Basusco continued to remain in Maoist captivity since March 14.

The chief minister who had been briefing the assembly on developments on the hostage crisis on daily basis, skipped the drill today, while no one raised the issue in the house.

Accusing Odisha government of being indifferent towards the Italian hostage crisis, Maoist mediators threatened to withdraw from talks if no response is received on the demands of the rebels by tomorrow evening.

"The state government is maintaining an indifferent attitude towards talks for the release of the Italian. We may say goodbye to the process if the government does not respond by tomorrow evening," Maoist-nominated mediators B D Sharma and Dandapani Mohanty told reporters on the Italian issue.

The negotiation was suspended for the second time yesterday after the chief minister claimed to have received additional demands from abductors of Puri-based Italian tour operator Paolo Bosusco. .