Maoists prepare to move against BJP, JMM

In a surprising move, just before the much hyped politburo meeting of the CPI (Maoists), anticipated to be held at Abujmad in Chattishgarh, some of the top rebel leaders held a secret meeting with Jharkhand People’s Party (JPP) at a village in Chatra district fortnight ago.

According to an Intelligence Bureau report, some Maoist top guns, including politburo member Mulajula Venugopal Rao, brother of slain Maoist leader Koteshwar Rao alias Kishenji, and Bikram, a state- level Maoist leader mainly responsible for operations in Purulia under the guise of Kiranji and Badalji, respectively, held a meeting with JPP leaders at Kalnabera village in Chatra district in Jharkhand.

The main objective of the meeting, held around January 25, was to garner support against  the BJP and the Jharkhand Mukti Morch (JMM), the report said.

It said that another top leader Sankarji, whose identity is yet to be known, along with another senior leader were also present at the meeting.

Interestingly, JPP is a recognised political party in Jharkhand headed by Satya Singh Besra who contested elections from Hatia constituency.  The party is also one of the main components of NASUS (Nagarik Suraksha Samity)— Jharkhand’s version of Chattishgarh’s Salwa Judum, Andhra Pradesh’s SPO (Special Police Officer) or West Bengal’s Jono Jagaran Mancha, were allegedly responsible for killing Maoists.

Though JPP sources denied any such meetings with the Maoists, a top intelligence officer said that prior to the party congress and politburo meet, the Maoists are trying to re-organise themselves in an effort to rope in smaller regional parties, a step that would enhance their strength and organisation in specific areas.

When asked about the meeting, a CIF officer mainly operating in Purulia, Bankura and West Midnapore, said: “We also have some information about it but we are not sure. As the Maoists are too factionalised in Jharkhand, it is hard to say which groups took part in the meeting.

“After joint operations started in June 2009, the Maoists suffered huge losses in the hands mainly in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh. Naturally, to make their presence feel, they aren’t only resorting to violence to create panic among the people but are also trying to re-group themselves with the help of smaller social and political organisation”, he said.

“The Maoists, for the last few days particularly after the death of Kishenji in November last year, are desperately trying to make their presence feel in states where they operate”, the officer added.  

However, according to the Central Intelligence report, the Maoists are trying to organise their party congress and a politburo meet at Abujmad.

After the death of top leaders like Kishenji, Azad and Anuradha Ghandi, and the arrests of several leaders including Kobad Ghandi, Amitava Bagchi, Sushin Roy, Patit Pawan Halder and Mishir Besra, the politburo— the supreme policymaking body has become weak, therefore, experts opine that there’s every possibility that some central committee leaders will be promoted to politburo and some state level leaders will be inducted into the central committee.