New Delhi: A day after the encounter of Maoist chief Basavaraju, discussions are underway within the security establishment as to who would be the next leader of the Communist Party of India (Maoist).
The Intelligence wing has jotted down two individuals, namely Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji, and Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu. Tirupathi is the chief of the Central Military Commission (CMC) — the armed wing of the Maoist party — whereas Venugopal appears to be leading the party ideologically.
Two contenders to the throne
Tirupathi and Venugopal come from completely opposite backgrounds. Sixty-two-year-old Devuji is a Dalit who hails from Jagtial in Telangana, whereas Sonu (70) belongs to a Brahmin family from Pedapalli.
Sonu has a fair chance of becoming the next leader, as his brother, Mallojula Koteswara Rao alias Kishenji, was one of the former general secretaries of the party. He was killed in 2011, while Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju (70) was killed on Tuesday. Some people still consider Kishenji their esteemed leader, and Rao alias Sonu might be a good substitute for him.
“It’s the second-tier leadership which is going to guide the party now that many among the older leadership have been killed,” an officer asserted.
“We need to see if the party will go for its armed command to take over during this crisis period or whether they will rely on their ideological fountain to remain afloat,” a top intelligence official from Telangana told The Indian Express.
Recruitments are practically paused in the state
The party is currently in a crisis. Recruitment to the organisation has stopped in Telangana due to the offensive by the security establishment, resulting in mass killings, an official stated.
Although it is not confirmed, the party has been demanding peace talks with the Centre. “Most of the old cadre will not lay down arms – a precondition for surrender – till they get killed. That is the unfortunate reality,” an officer said. Some states, including Telangana, where the Congress is in power, have been asking the Maoist leadership to surrender.
