The Maoist party is facing an internal conflict, with two groups at odds over whether or not to lay down arms and join the mainstream. According to highly placed sources in the Telangana state intelligence wing, the two groups are led by Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Sonu and Thippiri Tirupathi alias Devuji, both of whom hail from the state.

While the former is the ideological head of the party and is in favour of surrendering, the latter, who wants the “armed struggle” to continue, is the current general secretary and former head of the Central Military Commission, the armed wing of the CPI (Maoists).

Indicating the internal split were three letters released to the public in quick succession. The first, written on August 15 and released on September 17, by Sonu said that the Communist

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