His visit assumes significance in light of the political furore over the police firing in Mudigonda that resulted in the death of seven Left party supporters.

Soon after his arrival, Singh drove to Lake View Guesthouse where he was closeted with Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, state Congress president K Kesava Rao and other senior leaders.

Relations between the state’s ruling Congress and the Left hit a new low with the CPI-M demanding the chief minister’s resignation for the police firing.

But Singh told reporters here: “We cannot remove chief ministers at the behest of communist parties.”

During his stay, Singh is likely to meet Left leaders and persuade them to agree to talks with the state Government on the land issue.

CPI and CPI(M) leaders had warned that they would intensify their ‘Bhooporatam’ (land struggle) if the Government failed to meet their charter of demands, including constitution of an independent commission to oversee the distribution of land to the poor.

However, the Congress rejected the idea of an autonomous commission, saying it would create legal problems and hamper the ongoing distribution of land to the poor.

The first round of talks between the Government and Left parties on implementing land reforms collapsed on July 27, a day before a state-wide shutdown called by the CPI and CPI(M). The police firing in Khammam district during the bandh triggered a political storm and evoked strong protests from the Left.

The Congress Government is preparing a detailed response to demands made by Left parties on the land distribution issue and a note in this regard will be handed over to Singh, official sources said.

While outlining the roadmap for distributing lands and houses to the landless poor, the Government will rule out the setting up of an independent commission for this purpose as demanded by the Left parties.

The implementation of the Koneru Ranga Rao Committee’s report on land reforms in toto, regularisation of lands occupied by the poor and withdrawal of cases booked against protesters during ‘Bhooporatam’ are among the other demands.

During his talks with state party leaders, Singh is expected to counsel restraint and ask them to work for maintaining good relations with Left parties, the pre-poll allies of the Congress. Apart from participating in the Quit India Day celebrations, Singh will review the implementation of various developmental and welfare programmes in the state.