The Odisha government is examining the demands made by abductors of ruling BJD MLA Jhina Hikakaka, which includes release of jailed ultras, amid indication that talks with Maoist mediators for release of the second Italian will soon yield positive results.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday held an emergency meeting with top officials to review the two cases of abduction, particularly that of Laxmipur MLA Jhina Hikaka in Koraput district on March 24 by the Maoists.

The meeting was held after 37-year-old Hikaka's kidnappers placed demands through a statement from the Koraput-Srikakulum division of the CPI (Maoist) and a letter addressed to Patnaik, a senior official said.

"The matter is being examined. A careful approach has to be adopted as the rebels have refused to name mediators to hold talks with the government to resolve the issue," he said.

"Talks for the release of the second Italian in Maoist captivity 54-year-old Puri-based tour operator Paulo Bosusco are likely to bear fruit soon," he said.

The two Maoist-chosen negotiators - B D Sharma and Dandapani Mohanty - also expected the talks to conclude soon.

"We hope for some positive outcome very soon," they said, adding the second Italian hostage was in good health.

While the extremists freed Italian tourist Claudio Colangelo as a "goodwill gesture" on Sunday, his compatriot Bosusco is still in their captivity. The two were abducted in Kandhamal district on March 14.

The kidnappers of Hikaka in their statement yesterday warned that the life of the tribal MLA would be in danger if then government attempts to search or secure his release through any operation by security forces.

The statement couched in Telugu listed demands including halt to combing operation and release of several rebels and tribals lodged in jails in Koraput, Malkangiri and Berhampur.

Refusing to hold talks through mediators on their demands for release of Hikaka, it asked the Odisha government to make known its stand through media.