Hyderabad, Feb 7 (IANS): With Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham and his wife continuing their indefinite strike demanding quota for Kapus, popular actor and Jana Sena founder Pawan Kalyan on Sunday urged the Andhra Pradesh government to hold direct talks with them.

Under fire from sections of his own community for not coming out in support of the movement, the actor on Sunday said the government should hold talks with the leaders spearheading the agitation before it goes out of control.

"I request the TDP government to engage in direct talks with the Kapu leaders spearheading the ongoing reservation issue, which was an election promise originally made by the TDP," he tweeted.

"A group of balanced intellectuals should be entrusted with the responsibility of finding a mutually acceptable solution before it juggernauts into an uncontainable situation," Pawan added.

Members of Kapu community in parts of coastal Andhra had been protesting against the actor for last few days for not supporting the quota movement.

He had condemned the violence that broke out during a meeting by Kapus at Tuni town in East Godavari district on January 31, saying that anti-social elements were involved in burning a train.

Pawan had also said that the violence could have been averted if the government and the police were prepared to face a protest in which thousands of people were participating.

He had also asked the Telugu Desam Party government to implement its poll promise to include Kapus in the list of backward classes and provide them reservation.

Pawan, who floated Jana Sena before the 2014 elections, had campaigned for the TDP-BJP alliance.