Hyderabad: Mallojula Venugopal Rao, 69, a key politburo member of the banned CPI (Maoist), has surrendered, bringing to light internal challenges faced by the organization. Rao, born into a Brahmin family in Telangana, was deeply involved in the Maoist ideology from a young age. He rose through the ranks of the erstwhile People’s War Group (PWG) under various aliases like Bhupathi, Sonu, Master, and Abhay.
Rao’s career saw him lead the CPI (Maoist)’s Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee and later oversee the party’s expansion into the Western Ghats. As the party’s spokesperson and head of its publications division following the death of Azad in 2010, he was considered the ideological compass and communication specialist for the Maoist movement. Intelligence agencies suspect his involvement in major incidents, including the 2010 Dantewada massacre.
His wife, Tarakka, a former Maoist commander, had previously surrendered in 2018. Venugopal’s surrender, coming after the death of his influential brother Kishenji, is seen as a reflection of the internal divisions within the Maoist party, with factions divided on whether to continue the armed struggle or opt for surrender.