“The state government does not want immediate pulling out of the CRPF from Nandigram,” Home Secretary P R Roy said.

The Centre would decide how long the central force would stay at Nandigram, he told reporters.

On Tuesday, veteran marxist leader Jyoti Basu had favoured continuance of the CRPF in Nandigram, despite allegations of ‘excesses’ levelled by CPI(M) against the central forces.

Asked if an additional CRPF battalion was required at the CPI(M)-stronghold of Khejuri, adjacent to Nandigram, Roy said, “it is not required as the area is adequately manned by the central force.”

The CRPF was deployed in Nandigram on November 12 and is scheduled to stay there for three months till February 12 as per an earlier announced plan.