Mahendra Karma (file pic)

A senior Congress leader Mahendra Karma has been killed and prominent party leader VC Shukla is critically injured in a major attack by alleged Maoists in election-bound Chhattisgarh.There are fears that the state Congress chief Nand Kumar Patel and his son who are missing might have been abducted. According to reports, Mr Patel's son Dinesh who was abducted has been released.17 people have been killed including a former legislator. 20 including policemen are injured and a few have been moved to the state capital Raipur. ( Track live updates The suspected Naxals attacked a Congress rally in Dharba valley of Chhattisgarh's Sukma district today. The police said a convoy of cars carrying top Congress leaders of the state was headed to Jagdalpur when there was a landmine blast, followed by heavy firing.Mr Karma was a local tribal leader, who spearheaded the controversial anti-Naxalite movement - Salwa Judum. He had served as the state's home minister when the Congress was in power. He had Z plus security, which meant that at least 30 policeman guarded him.Reports from the remote Naxal -dominated area suggest that Mr Karma's securitymen fired back at the suspected Naxals, but soon ran out of ammunition and he was then shot dead. ( Read: Mahendra Karma was reportedly shot in cold blood by alleged Maoists Former Union Minister VC Shukla reportedly has several bullet wounds and is in hospital. An air ambulance will bring Mr Shukla to a hospital in Delhi.A meeting was held late this evening at the Prime Minister's 7 Race Course Road residence in New Delhi, attended by top Congress leaders, including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi, who has left for Raipur.The PM has spoken to the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh of the BJP, who has called an emergency Cabinet meeting in Raipur. Congress president Sonia Gandhi has condemned the attack describing it as an "attack on democratic values". ( Read Dr Singh and Mrs Gandhi are slated to leave for Chhattisgarh later today. ( Read more

In the state, Congress leaders have alleged that party leaders were not provided adequate security by the BJP dispensation despite Naxal threats. A shaken Ajit Jogi, a former Chief Minister, who was present at the rally, said, "I can't believe that people who I met just a few hours earlier have been attacked. There was not adequate security arrangements. I want to call a state bandh tomorrow." ( Read: Reactions to the attack Assembly elections are scheduled in Chhattisgarh later this year.