Hyderabad: Two of the most senior Maoist leaders in Telangana, Pulluri Prasad Rao alias Chandranna and Bandi Prakash alias Prabhath, have emerged from underground after more than four decades of working with the banned CPI (Maoist) party. Their journey, from young, idealistic students influenced by Marxist thought to central figures in a guerrilla movement and now, to advocates for working "in the open for the people," traces the arc of modern revolutionary politics in the region.

Both leaders rose from modest educational backgrounds in rural Telangana. Chandranna completed his schooling and intermediate studies in Peddapalli and was drawn into radical activism during his college days, influenced by senior organisers and the Marxist-Leninist movement. Prabhath, from Mandamarri, was also drawn into Maoist politics in his youth, influenced by the CPI (ML) People’s War ideology and the turbulent socio-political climate of the 1970s and 80s.

Both Chandranna and Prabhath embodied the classical guerrilla narrative: years spent in the jungle, evading police, building cadres, and steering the ideological course of the CPI (Maoist). Chandranna rose to the level of Central Committee Member (CCM), serving as a strategist, organisational head, and later as a guide for the Telangana State Committee. Prabhath, equally senior, became the State Committee Member (SCM) and worked in key party press and public outreach roles. Their party life included long periods spent in underground armed squads (dalams) and regional committee roles. Surviving arrests, jailbreaks, and repeated escapes symbolise their commitment and resilience.

According to the Telangana Police, out of 427 known underground cadres from Telangana alone, 64 have now joined the mainstream. Notably, five out of nine active Central Committee Members of the CPI (Maoist) trace their roots to Telangana. The steady flow of surrenders, catalysed by government appeals and the lure of rehabilitation benefits, marks a profound shift in the landscape of left-wing extremism in South India.

Despite leaving the underground, both leaders remain adamant. “Our ideology never dies. We have always worked for the people, and we will continue to do so in public life,” said Pulluri Prasad. Their choice to join the mainstream, they claim, is less about abandoning their beliefs than about adapting to new realities, including health concerns, organisational splits, and an evolving state that now promises dignity and support for those who “lay down arms.”

The Telangana Police, echoing the appeal of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, promises comprehensive rehabilitation, including cash rewards up to Rs 25 lakh for a CCM and Rs 20 lakh for an SCM, reintegration support, and respect for those who rejoin civic life. For Chandranna and Prabhath, the drama of the forest and the gun has subsided into an equally complex challenge: navigating public life, continuing their service to their ideology, and bridging the chasm between revolution and reconstruction.