Top Maoist’s surrender likely to weaken central body

Jampanna said to be the strategist behind major strikes against security forces

The surrender of CPI (Maoist) Central Committee member Jinugu Narasimha Reddy alias Jampanna in Hyderabad on Saturday may not have a direct impact on Andhra Pradesh and on the Andhra Odisha Border (AOB) region in particular, but it will certainly impact the equations in the Central Committee (CC), which is the key body of the banned CPI (Maoist). The Left Wing Extremist organisation has been witnessing a conflict between the tribal and non-tribal leadership and the dominance of leaders from A.P. and Telangana had been a contentious issue for quite some time. Jampanna from Charlapalem of Thorrur mandal in Mahabubabad district of Telangana has been one among the nine CC members from A.P. and Telangana, out of a total of 14 CC members.

A senior officer from the A.P. State Intelligence Bureau said Jampanna was a military strategist and a key member in the CC. He wielded considerable influence among the cadres in Telangana and Chhattisgarh, and his surrender would weaken the CC, the think tank of the LWE group. Sources in the intelligence said that Jampanna’s surrender would not directly impact the movement in AOB but his military acumen would be missed.

Balimela attack

He was believed to be a key strategist in the Balimela reservoir attack in which the Maoists killed 38 personnel of Greyhounds, the elite anti-naxal force of A.P., on June 29, 2008.

“We had reports of Jampanna visiting AOB in 2008, 2010 and in 2012. Whenever the Maoists had planned a major offensive against the security forces in AOB, his presence was sought after,” said a senior police officer.

Prior to becoming a CC member, he worked as State Committee Member of Odisha and served for a long term in Srikakulam area in the late 1990s. Jampanna has been underground for over 35 years and carries a reward of ₹30 lakh. He surrendered along with his wife K. Rajitha and is believed to be sick.