The Maoist party has chosen Tippiri Tirupati alias Devuji as its new secretary. This decision comes three months after the death of central committee secretary Nambala Kesava Rao, also known as Basavaraju, in a Chhattisgarh encounter.
Kesava Rao died in Narayanpur district during heavy fighting with security forces in May. Twenty-six Maoists, including him, lost their lives. He carried a reward of ₹1.5 crore. Police later performed his cremation without handing over the body to his family, a move that sparked anger.
Tirupati, originally from Karimnagar, Telangana, began his journey with the Radical Students Union in 1983. After going underground, he worked his way up from cadre to commander. Over the years, he gained influence as a strategist, joining the Maoist central committee and the central military commission.
Known as Devuji in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Odisha, Tirupati has been linked to major attacks. Police say he helped plan the 2003 Alipiri attack on Chandrababu Naidu and the 2010 Dantewada massacre that killed 74 CRPF personnel. The NIA has placed a ₹1 crore reward on him. His elevation signals an effort by Maoists to regroup despite mounting losses.
