Hyderabad: Two of the most senior Maoist leaders in Telangana, Pulluri Prasad Rao alias Chandranna and Bandi Prakash alias Prabhath, have emerged from underground after more than four decades of working with the banned CPI (Maoist) party. Their journey, from young, idealistic students influenced by Marxist thought to central figures in a guerrilla movement and now, to advocates for working "in the open for the people," traces the arc of modern revolutionary politics in the region.

Both leaders rose from modest educational backgrounds in rural Telangana. Chandranna completed his schooling and intermediate studies in Peddapalli and was drawn into radical activism during his college days, influenced by senior organisers and the Marxist-Leninist movement. Prabhath, from Mandamarri, was also

See Full Page