Rift in Maoist ranks, Mad Division endorses Venugopal’s ceasefire call

The Maoist movement is facing one of its sharpest internal divisions yet, after cadres of the Mad Division openly backed senior leader Venugopal alias Sonu Dada’s appeal for an end to the armed struggle. The development marks a rare and public fracture within the banned CPI (Maoist), exposing growing disillusionment over decades of bloodshed and stalled revolution.

Venugopal, once a key strategist within the Maoist central hierarchy, recently wrote to the central committee led by Abhay, calling for a one-month ceasefire. In a four-page letter addressed to both cadres and the general public, he admitted that the movement had “lost direction” and failed to achieve any tangible results. He described the ongoing insurgency as both a “moral and strategic failure.”

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The statement drew an immediate backlash from Telangana State Committee spokesperson Jagan, who rejected Venugopal’s stance and warned of disciplinary action. The leadership also threatened to seize his weapons through the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) if he refused to surrender them voluntarily.

In a dramatic turn, the Maoists’ Mad Division has now rallied behind Venugopal. Its secretary, Ranita, issued a press note declaring support for his call to withdraw from armed conflict. “In view of the changing national and global situation, it is time to redefine the revolutionary movement,” the note said.

Ranita also requested a temporary reduction in police operations until October 15 to allow space for dialogue, assuring that cadres would refrain from illegal activities during this period.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chhattisgarh Home Minister Vijay Sharma have reiterated that Maoists willing to surrender and join the mainstream will receive “red carpet treatment” under the government’s rehabilitation policy.