The situation is apparently looking grim for the Maoists waging a so-called “protracted war” against the state. A day after one of its top leaders, Azad, was killed in Andhra Pradesh, reports are being received that the condition of the elusive Maoist leader in West Bengal, Kishenji, whose left leg was amputated, is critical.
The police in West Bengal is trying to verify reports of Kishenji’s condition. Sources disclosed that Kishenji, who was being treated by a quack in the jungles in the Midnapore area after being hit in the leg by a bullet, had developed gangrene on his left leg, necessitating amputation.
Interestingly, since the March encounter with the police, Kishenji, who had been interacting with the media, giving bytes on television (with his back turned to the camera) has suddenly gone quiet. It was learnt that another leader, known as his brother Venugopal, and his associate Raju have since been running the show in West Bengal. Media statements are being issued by Raju on behalf of Kishenji.
The Maoist operation in the eastern sector was being run by Kishenji, a member of the CPI (Maoist) politburo. He had virtually become the “unofficial” spokesperson of the Maoists for West Bengal.
Incidentally, Kishenji’s repeated press statements and comments on Maoist policy matters had also irked a section of the outfit’s central committee members. Sources disclosed that the slain Maoist leader Azad, who was the official spokesperson of the banned outfit, had not been “too pleased” with Kishenji’s meteoric rise in Bengal. Some time before Kishenji was injured, the top central committee members of the outfit were reportedly upset over his all-India bandh calls. Kishenji was then asked by the outfit’s general secretary, Ganapathy, to refrain from making any statements without proper clearance from the central committee, sources disclosed.
With Kishenji out of action, the outfit in West Bengal is reported to be in disarray. A few days ago some five senior Maoists leaders were arrested and on June 16 eight Maoists were killed in a police encounter.