No fresh recruitments in party, says surrendered Maoist Maranna

DGP says that the banned outfit has lost support of Adivasis in many hamlets

Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) Special Zonal Committee (SZC) member Muttannagari Jalandhar Reddy alias Maranna alias Karuna, who surrendered before Director General of Police (DGP) D. Gautam Sawang on Tuesday, said there were no recruitments in the CPI (Maoist) for the last few years.

The Maoist leader, who had served in various capacities in the banned outfit for more than two decades, said the strength of the party had been dwindling by the day.

“The main problem being faced by the Maoists is recruitments. The party is facing several other problems too. Being a senior leader in the party, I had disagreed with some issues and decided to join the mainstream,” Maranna told The Hindu .

“As the local Adivasis are unwilling to join the movement, the Maoists are recruiting tribal people from Chhattisgarh. The Maoists have no support of the Adivasis in many hamlets now,” said Mr. Sawang.

On the back foot

“Due to the changed scenario in the cut-off area in the AOB, the Naxalites are facing difficulty in reviving the movement. With the A.P. and Odisha police launching joint operations, the Maoists are on the back foot,” the DGP said.

According to the figures available with police, the cadre strength of the Maoist, which was about 170 in the AOB earlier, has come down to 80 now. The number of area committees, which was eight earlier, has come down to four. The People’s Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), which once had two companies, has only one now. The two divisional committees in the AOB have only one platoon. “This clearly shows the cadre problem in the Maoist party,” Mr. Sawang said.

Sharing the data of the arrests and surrenders in the last two years, the DGP said eight Exchanges of Fires had taken place in which eight Naxalites were killed. Six Maoists, who included one SZC member, one divisional committee member, and an area committee member, were arrested.

As many as 31 Naxalites, including 20 from the AOB SZC, surrendered before the police. Two DCMs and seven ACMs were among those who joined the mainstream, the DGP added.