The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) has found a new public voice after its ideological head Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu surrendered along with 60 cadres in Maharashtra earlier this month. According to Telangana intelligence sources, Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji, believed to be the current General Secretary of the party, has doubled up as its public face under the pseudonym Abhay.
Two press releases – one renouncing Sonu and other prominent leaders of the party who surrendered, and another calling a country-wide bandh on October 24 – have come out so far under the name Abhay. The letters were issued on October 16 and came to light three days later.
“The name Abhay was once commonly used by Sonu to write press releases. Now, the name Abhay is being used by Tirupathi,” an intelligence source said, adding, “Devuji is hitting out at those who surrendered and gave up arms.” Devuji alias Devji hails from Telangana.
The releases, which brand Sonu and others “petty-bourgeois”, “right-wing”, “defectors” and “traitors”, also state that the party is not ready to give up the armed struggle. According to the releases, Sonu had shown “counter revolutionary tendencies” since 2011 – the year his brother Mallojula Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji was killed by security forces.
The letters state that while the party “tried to correct” Sonu over a period of time, he was overcome by “fear for his life”. The party also brands another member who surrendered recently, Rupesh alias Ashanna, a bombmaker who was behind the attack on Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, a “traitor”.
“We assure the people of the country that even if Sonu or Satish (Rupesh) surrender to the enemy or if someone else surrenders tomorrow, our party will not surrender to the enemy,” it states. The party came down on those who surrendered the arms, stating that weapons should not have been laid down because it weakens the party’s arsenal.
“Devuji is the only prominent person in the Central Committee and Politburo who can issue such a statement,” an intelligence source said. Devuji used to head the Central Military Commission or the armed wing of the party before being elevated to the role of General Secretary. “The second release declaring a countrywide bandh is meant to declare that the party is going ahead without Sonu,” a source said.
