NAGPUR: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Maoist ideologue Bhupathi engineered last week’s mass surrender of People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army members after a secret deal was hammered out through interlocutors, top govt sources said.Fadnavis reportedly ordered a go-slow on ops against rebels holed up in the tottering Maoist headquarters of Abujmarh after Bhupathi sent feelers for surrender. In secret messages over two months, Fadnavis offered safety, family reunions and jobs via govt programmes, including amnesty from UAPA and other criminal charges.Turning point for Bhupathi came when wife surrendered The turning point came when Bhupathi’s wife Tarakka, a top Maoist commander, surrendered in Jan, giving him the courage to bite the bullet. The deal with Fadnavis paved the way for PLGA cadres to come out of their jungle hideouts in both Maharashtra and Chh-attisgarh, changing the fight against Maoism in Dandakaranya region. Many members from Chhattisgarh’s Rohi Dalam, too, crossed over to Gadchiroli to give up arms.Bhupathi’s fear of fake encounters after surrender were allayed and this was supported on ground zero on Oct 14, when a battalion of C-60 commandos went unarmed to welcome guerrillas at Fodewada hamlet on the foothills of Abujmarh, before escorting them in a fortified bus to Gadchiroli police headquarters. This move of sending unarmed commandos to greet the guerrillas was tactical, but unprecedented, said the sources.During negotiations, Bhupathi promised to bring at least 500 weary tribal fighters out of the jungle. Fadnavis welcomed the move by allowing a calculated pause in operations in the garb of an informal monsoon break, while peace talks and strategies for a mass surrender were being hammered out.While Chhattisgarh continued its offensive against rebels, Maharashtra was in wait-and-watch mode. This allowed Bhupati to align with Fadnavis’ vision of a peaceful end to hostilities which wou-ld save Dandakaranya and Abujmarh from bloodshed.During the pause, Bhupati stepped out of his Abujmarh hideout and started connecting with the tribal cadre, convincing them to return to the mainstream. This led to the surrender of over 350 Maoists in Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra at the behest of Bhupathi, with another 150-200 likely to return to the mainstream soon.On Oct 15, the Fadnavis-Bhupathi bonhomie was reflected during the official surrender ceremony at Gadchiroli police headquarters.Sources said Bhupathi had sent messages to Fadnavis on his intentions to surrender, but wanted him to be present on the occasion. The CM responded positively. “I would have gone to the jungles to bring Bhupathi out…,” Fadnavis told reporters after the ceremony.Sources stated these 500 PLGA fighters were moving swiftly, dodging security forces across the state’s borders. “These disenchanted tribals were fleeing on empty stomachs, ailing and injured, as their aggressive commanders, including Hidma and Devji, were urging them to fight to the last bullet. Bhupathi’s bold move saved hundreds of tribal lives,” said a senior official.
