Overview

• Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar posted on X that politicians with alleged Maoist links should sever ties or face exposure by central agencies.
• He said the Centre is tracing a nexus that shields corruption, criminality and extremist links and vowed action regardless of a leader's stature.
• The warning references claims by Mallojula Venugopal, alias Bhupathi, who after surrendering alleged a faction of CPI (Maoist) enjoys covert backing from some Telangana politicians.
• Bhupathi, a CPI (Maoist) politburo member carrying a reported Rs 6 crore reward, surrendered with about 60 cadres in Maharashtra on October 15 and told police the outfit is fracturing.
• Bandi Sanjay cited official tallies since January 2024 of 2,100 surrenders, 1,785 arrests and 477 eliminations, reiterating a goal to eradicate Naxalism by March 31, 2026.