Koteswar Rao alias Kishenji, the CPI(Maoist) politburo member who had gone underground after he was reportedly injured in an encounter near Hathilot in March 2010 in West Midnapore district, has expressed his desire to become the all-India spokesperson of the CPI(Maoist) party after the death of Azad. The Central
Intelligence Bureau has verbally shared this information with the West Bengal state home department.
Kishenji, who had masterminded the Lalgarh movement, had earlier gained the wrath of the other senior members of his party due to his “proactive vocal nature.” He had been criticised by the others for vigorously interacting with the media since 2009 despite the presence of the all India spokesperson of the party. Kishenji had explained that the “role” of the official spokesperson was “limited.” He had further encouraged his party members to “use” media as a “medium of propaganda.”
Soon after the death of Azad, CPI(Maoist) party sources had revealed that Kishenji’s own brother Venugopal alias Ajay may replace Azad.