Exclusive | Cracks widen within rapidly thinning Maoist leadership: Politburo member now condemns Telangana ‘ceasefire’
Statement issued by Misir Besra, one of only 2 remaining Politburo members, appears to be a departure from the stance taken by the other Politburo member, Devuji, intelligence officials said
One of only two remaining Politburo members of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), Misir Besra, has issued a statement condemning what he claimed was a ceasefire agreement entered into by the party’s Telangana State Committee with the state government.
Intelligence officials said this appeared to be a departure from the line taken by Thippiri Tirupathi, alias Devuji, who is the other remaining member of the Politburo — the highest decision-making body of the party. “Devuji, who heads the Central Regional Bureau (encompassing Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh), has agreed to peace talks and a ceasefire in Telangana and the rest of the region. Besra seems to be condemning this stand,” an intelligence source told The Indian Express.
This comes amid a series of setbacks for the Maoists in recent months. The general secretary of the CPI (Maoist), Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju, was among 27 Maoists killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh in May. Since last year, as security forces have stepped up operations in Chhattisgarh, more than 470 Maoists have been killed in encounters. There have also been a series of surrenders in Chhattisgarh, Telangana and other states, including that of Politburo member Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu, who was considered the ideological head of the party.
This year has witnessed a series of surrenders by Maoists in Chhattisgarh, Telangana and other states
Besra (63), who heads the Maoists’ Eastern Regional Bureau (ERB), issued a statement on November 5, condemning the surrenders. Usually known by his aliases Sunirmal and Sagar, Besra issued the statement under another alias, Sanket. The 63-year-old carries a bounty of Rs 1 crore. The ERB consists of Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh.
He wrote, “ERB is clarifying that the surrenders under the leadership of our party Politburo member Sonu in Gadchiroli, under the leadership of our Central Committee member Satish in Jagdalpur, and in Telangana by Central Committee member Chandranna… are all results of escapism…”
Coming down heavily on the Telangana State Committee, Besra said it had declared “a unilateral ceasefire” for the past six months. “Telangana State Committee has already made an unexpected agreement with Telangana government… and has surrendered before Telangana government informally and in an undeclared manner,” the statement read.
After Basavaraju’s killing, Devuji is believed to have been made the general secretary of the party, though it has not confirmed the development. A Telangana intelligence official said, “While the leadership of Tirupathi (Devuji) is not contested in the CRB, the ERB seems to have emerged as a separate force in the party.” Both the leaders, Devuji and Besra, come from marginalised communities. While Besra is from the Santal (Scheduled Tribe) community, Devuji is from the Madiga (Scheduled Caste) community.
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The leadership crisis, exemplified by the many splits within the banned organisation, has come at a time when the security forces are working towards meeting a deadline of March 2026, set by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, to eliminate Left Wing Extremism. Shah has also called on the Maoist leadership to surrender unconditionally.
Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice.
Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India.
Expertise & Focus Areas
Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include:
Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India.
Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism.
Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities.
National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting.
Authoritativeness & Trust
A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society.
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This year has witnessed a series of surrenders by Maoists in Chhattisgarh, Telangana and other states