Naxalism's pan-India expansion owes much to its Telugu leadership

Hyderabad: The Naxalite movement, which is on the decline according to the security forces after the launch of Operation Kagar, though began in Naxalbari, West Bengal, in 1967, found fertile ground in undivided Andhra Pradesh due to widespread socio-economic disparities, particularly among the Dalit and Adivasi populations.

The state's northern tribal regions, marked by underdevelopment and exploitation, became hotspots for insurgent activities. The movement gained momentum in the 1970s and 1980s, with leaders from Andhra Pradesh playing significant roles in its expansion.

In 2004, the CPI (Maoist) was formed through the merger of two major groups: the CPI (Marxist-Leninist) People's War, predominantly active in Andhra Pradesh, and the Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI), based in Bihar and West Bengal. This unification aimed to consolidate efforts and strategies across regions. The merger was announced in Hyderabad, underscoring Andhra Pradesh's centrality to the movement.

Since then, undivided Andhra Pradesh has provided leadership to Naxalism in India through figures like Kondapalli Seetharamaiah, a former schoolteacher who founded the CPI (ML) People's War in 1980, and Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju from Srikakulam, who rose to become the General Secretary of CPI (Maoist) in 2018 and was known for his military strategies.

"The tribal regions of Srikakulam district witnessed an armed uprising under leaders like Vempatapu Satyanarayana, Adibhatla Kailasam, and Subbarao Panigrahi. The movement here blended tribal discontent, landlessness, and Marxist-Leninist ideology, laying the foundation for future Maoist activity," a senior intelligence official explained to DH who has been tracking Naxalism in India for more than 25 years.

In 1980, Kondapalli Seetharamaiah formed the People's War Group (PWG) in Andhra Pradesh. PWG emerged as the most disciplined, militarized, and ideologically driven faction in the Naxalite movement, focusing on armed struggle and rural revolution. The dense forests of North Telangana and Dandakaranya, spanning parts of Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Odisha, became strategic zones for training and guerrilla warfare. Leadership from Andhra Pradesh played a key role in organizing the Central Military Commission, Central Technical Units, and Intelligence Wings.

The ideological clarity, organizational structure, and discipline of PWG attracted cadres from across India, with Telugu-speaking leadership setting the tone. Districts like Karimnagar, Warangal, Nalgonda, and Khammam became recruitment hubs, and many Politburo members hailed from these regions.

When PWG merged with the MCCI in 2004, Andhra Pradesh leaders retained strategic and ideological control due to their superior cadre strength, experience in guerrilla warfare, and tactical sophistication. Key leaders who emerged from this Telugu stronghold include, Muppala Lakshmana Rao alias Ganapathy from Karimnagar, he served as General Secretary until 2018 and was the most powerful Maoist leader for over two decades. Kishenji alias Mallojula Koteswara Rao, also from Karimnagar, he led Maoist expansion in eastern India, particularly in Jharkhand and Bengal. Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavraj who succeeded Ganapathy as General Secretary and was known for his expertise in explosives and military tactics.

The intelligence official noted that "Andhra Maoists were pioneers in urban front organizations and mass mobilization strategies, including student, worker, and Dalit fronts. They created Revolutionary Writers Associations and cultural outfits to spread Maoist ideology."

They also developed the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) with Andhra-led command and specialized in IEDs, ambushes, and jungle warfare, influencing Maoist operations across central and eastern India.

However, the tide turned when the Andhra government developed the Greyhounds, an elite anti-Naxal force that dealt a severe blow to the Maoists from the mid-2000s onward. Many top leaders either went underground in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand or were neutralized.

While operational presence in Andhra Pradesh has dwindled, leadership and strategic planning shifted to Dandakaranya and Jharkhand, areas still dominated by Telugu-speaking cadres. Though Naxalism has declined in Andhra Pradesh, the continued influence of its leadership remains evident in the movement's broader operations across India.

“Andhra leaders instilled a militant political culture, long-term vision, and ideological rigidity into the Maoist apparatus. Their legacy continues through the PLGA and CPI(Maoist)’s central command, making Andhra Pradesh the ideological birthplace and nerve center of modern Maoism in India. The Naxalite movement's transformation into a pan-Indian insurgency owes a great deal to Andhra Pradesh’s unique role. From grassroots uprisings to strategic military leadership, Andhra cadres provided ideological coherence, organizational depth, and operational expertise. Though their presence on the ground in Andhra has waned, their influence across the Red Corridor remains potent through enduring leadership and doctrinal guidance,” the senior official told DH.