Ranchi, July 21 (IANS): The outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist), named a terror outfit by the central government last month, has now issued a threat to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and dared Home Minister P. Chidambaram to visit Jharkhand.

"Home Minister P. Chidambaram says the government will end Maoism in the country. His statement will remain a dream. It is not possible to end the Maoist movement... If Chidambaram has the courage, he should come to Jharkhand," the CPI (Maoist) said in a press release issued here late Monday.

It also threatens Manmohan Singh and United Progressive Alliance (UPA) chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

"Both the PM and Sonia Gandhi will meet a fate like former prime minister, late Rajiv Gandhi," said the release issued by Anup-ji, a member of the Jharkhand state central committee of the CPI (Maoist).

Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eealam (LTTE) woman suicide bomber at an election rally in Sriperumbudur near Chennai May 1991.

The CPI-Maoist, in the statement, has also threatened Congress leaders in Jharkhand, asking them to quit the party or face dire consequences.

"The CPI (Maoist) is desperate after it was termed as a terrorist outfit. It just wants to gain mileage by issuing such press releases," a police official involved in anti-Maoist operation in Jharkhand said.

The state's Director General of Police (DGP), V.D. Ram told reporters: "We will look into the issue and take suitable action against the Maoist rebels". He also assured providing appropriate security cover to the state leaders threatened in the letter.

Meanwhile, a high alert has been sounded in the state in light of the Maoist strike beginning from midnight of Tuesday. The strike has been called to protest the rising prices of essential commodities like food grains.