The annual People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) week observed by the banned CPI(Maoist) from December 2, passed off peacefully in the Visakha Agency.
Violence was expected during the PLGA week as the protest against bauxite mining plans of the government went up manifold after the GO 97 was issued on November 5 and the Maoists, looking for a chance to regain their hold over the Girijans, extended their support to the agitation in the Agency area. The Maoists are trying to regain their hold over Visakha Agency, probably the only place in the country thanks to its terrain which helps them consolidate and become strong.
They kidnapped four ruling Telugu Desam party activists (a month before the GO was issued) and let them off after some time, warned the people’s representatives not to toe the government line but support the agitation. People’s representatives were told to quit their parties and support the agitation. Maoists also announced that anti- bauxite agitation would be main issue during this year’s PLGA week. The ruling TDP could not conduct Jana Chaitanya Yatras in the Agency.
However, even as the surcharged atmosphere in the Agency continued the PLGA week passed off peacefully leading to speculation about their strategy. Maoists have reportedly conducted meetings in the interior areas and in the Andhra-Odisha border area but no activity was seen in the major villages or mandal headquarters.
Recruitment
They have also reportedly recruited a large number of Girijans from Visakha Agency and other States like Chattisgarh and Odisha during the week. Here they completed the task set for the week: swelling the cadres by making fresh recruitment which they have not been able to do during the last few years which resulted in dwindling of local cadres in their armed squads.
But keeping quiet during the PLGA week might be a strategy to come out with a strong move later. While top leaders of the area like Ravi, Azad and Chalapathi are reportedly conducting operations, the party’s central committee believed to have met in Chattisgarh and discussed the bauxite issue.
