Opinion - News Analysis   

A Maoist threat and the political implications

K. Srinivas Reddy

The Maoists in Andhra Pradesh hold out a severe threat to the Congress but go soft on the Telangana Rashtra Samithi.

THE HARDENING stand of the Maoists against the ruling Congress in Andhra Pradesh is likely to have the political fallout of widening the rift between the ruling party and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS).

Opposing the ban on the CPI (Maoist) and seven of its front organisations, the Maoist leadership has called upon its cadres to attack ruling party leaders and asked Congress workers to quit by October 2 any official post they may hold. The warning issued on September 7 through a statement has queered the pitch since the Maoists have clearly adopted a "soft" attitude towards the TRS.

The Maoist stand, on the eve of the municipal polls, in which the TRS is contesting on its own, has led to uneasiness among the ruling party leaders, although for obvious reasons they are not openly speaking about the Maoists' soft approach towards the TRS. But much political heat is being generated and leaders of both the parties are sparing no words in criticising each other.

In his statement, the official Maoist spokesman, Janardhan, announced that his party was imposing a ban on the Congress and called upon the "revolutionary forces" and the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) to enforce it. However, he indicated that physical attacks would be carried out only on ruling party leaders and decision makers, while common workers would be spared.

The naxalite party also criticised other political parties in varying degrees. Mr. Janardhan asked his cadres to "chase away" the Telugu Desam Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party, "question" the Communist parties and "pressure" the TRS to launch an agitation for a separate Telangana.

The Maoists' hard-hitting statement came at a time when political equations were changing in Andhra Pradesh. The TDP had parted ways with the BJP, and the TRS and the Congress have been making `belligerent' statements against each other.

When the Maoist party was proscribed by the Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Government on August 17, the TRS opposed the imposition of the ban and demanded that the Government revive the talks process. In the preceding month, TRS Ministers had quit their Cabinet posts in protest against the treatment meted out to them by the Congress and the injustice meted out to the Telangana cause. But the unstated cause, however, was the "encounter" killing in Karimnagar district of Riyaz, a naxalite leader who participated in the talks with the Government.

However, never did the Congress publicly express its displeasure over the TRS' friendly overtures to the naxalites. But the decision of TRS chief and Union Minister K. Chandrasekhara Rao to visit the Chanchalguda prison where Varavara Rao of the Revolutionary Writers Association was detained under the newly enforced A.P. Public Security Act, created a mini-storm. Incidentally, Mr. Rao was also in the Union Cabinet when the Centre banned the erstwhile People's War and the Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI).

Another worrying aspect for the Andhra Pradesh Government is the floating of the Telangana Jagarana Sena (TJS) by the TRS, where volunteers are to be trained in martial arts and are expected to `canvass' for a separate Telangana. But sparks are already flying in the political arena with Mr. Chandrasekhara Rao announcing that the TJS would teach anyone a lesson if it is provoked. The veiled message has been delivered successfully and now the cause of concern for law enforcement agencies is what would happen if the Maoist cadres infiltrate the TJS.

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