Maoists call for boycott of Telangana polls
Lash out at all parties for ‘fake polls’ and asks people to ensure success of democracy
Outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist, the biggest ultra leftist armed organisation in the country, has called for the boycott of the coming assembly elections in Telangana, calling them “fake”. It also lashed out at all the political parties including the incumbent Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) and the main opposition Congress.
In a letter to the media, Telangana State Committee Secretary Haribhushan asked people to “boycott the elections to ensure the success of the new democratic revolution”.
The underground organisation, whose armed attacks in several states have killed more than 20,000 people over the last two decades, alleged that caretaker Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao was hand in glove with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat, in manipulating the elections.
Allegations galore
Haribhushan alleged KCR had given the slogan of “Bangaru (Golden) Telangana” at the behest of the World Bank and was working solely for his own family.
KCR decided to go for early elections nine months before the present term ends, because he failed to fulfil his promises and public resentment was increasing, Haribhushan added.
CPI Maoist, formed in 2005 by merging the CPIML (People’s War) and Maoist Communist Centre (MCC), does not believe in electoral democracy and advocates armed struggle and revolution.
This is the first time that they have called for a poll boycott, ever since the armed left ultras were forced to flee Andhra Pradesh, in 2005-2007.
Targeting the opposition Grand Alliance comprising Congress, Telugu Desam, CPI and Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), Haribhushan said the alliance was not going to achieve anything. M. Kodandaram, who heads the newly floated TJS, also came under attack from Maoists. By joining the Congress and TDP in the alliance, CPI and TJS were mobilising votes for bourgeoisie parties, he said.
He also slammed left parties for hankering after power instead of working to solve people’s problems. The letter has come at a time when Maoists have set the alarm bells ringing both in AP and Telangana, by killing a ruling TDP legislator in Visakhapatnam last month.
Both states were already under high alert and security has been increased. Another letter from Maoists alleged that slain TDP MLA Kidari Sarveshwara Rao was involved in bauxite quarrying.