Kondapalli Seetharamaiah

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Kondapalli Seetharamaiah was an India communist leader. He was born into a middle-class family in Jonnavada village, Andhra Pradesh. At a young age, he joined the communists. He went on to become the Krishna District Secretary of the Communist Party of India. His CPI unit was active during the Telengana rebellion. When the CPI was divided in 1964, Seetharamaiah withdrew from political life. He began working as a Hindi teacher at Fatima School in Warangal. In Warangal he befriended K.G. Sathyamurthy. Both men joined the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist). Seetharamaiah became a member of the Andhra Pradesh State Committee of CPI(ML).[1] When the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) was torn by internal strife, Seetharamaiah joined the Central Organising Committee, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) in 1972.[2] In August 1974, the Andhra Pradesh State Committee of COC, CPI(ML) was organised, with Seetharamaiah as one of its three members.[3]

On April 26, 1977 Seetharamaiah was arrested in Nagpur, when police caught him with weapons in a vehicle. He was released on bail, but absconded and went underground.[4]

In 1977 he broke away from COC, CPI(ML).[5] On April 22, 1980 he founded the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) People's War.[4]

On January 2, 1982 he was arrested in Hyderabad at Begampet railway station, when waiting to board a train to Bombay. On January 4, 1984 he managed to escape from the prisoners wing of the Osmania Hospital.[6]

Following an internal dispute, which ended with the expulsion of K.G. Sathyamurthy (number 2 in the party ranks) and Byreddy Sathyanarayana Reddy (militia commander in Khamman District), Seetharamaiah's hold over the party strengthened. Sathyamurthy had begun questioning Maoist character of the party, on the lines of Deng Xiaoping. Reddy had opposed Sathyamurthy's ouster.[7]

In 1991, Seetharamaiah was ousted from the party.[8] In 1993, he was caught by police in his home village.[9] After few years in prison, he was acquitted and released on humantarian grounds. During his final years, he abstained from political activity. He suffered from Parkinsons disease. Kondapalli Seetharamaiah died in his granddaughter's house in Vijayawada on April 12, 2002. He was 87 years old.[1] He was survived by his wife Koteswaramma and two granddaughters, V. Anuradha and G. Sudha.[10] Funeral services were arranged the next day. According to press reports, only a handful of people turned up.[11]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b The Hindu: Kondapalli Seetharamaiah dead
  2. ^ Singh, Prakash, The Naxalite Movement in India. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., 1999, ISBN 81-7167-294-9, p. 105.
  3. ^ Hindustan Times: History of Naxalism
  4. ^ a b Singh, Prakash, The Naxalite Movement in India. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., 1999, ISBN 81-7167-294-9, p. 106.
  5. ^ Frontline: The Road from Naxalbari
  6. ^ Singh, Prakash, The Naxalite Movement in India. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., 1999, ISBN 81-7167-294-9, p. 107.
  7. ^ Singh, Prakash, The Naxalite Movement in India. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., 1999, ISBN 81-7167-294-9, p. 108.
  8. ^ Singh, Prakash, The Naxalite Movement in India. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., 1999, ISBN 81-7167-294-9, p. 115.
  9. ^ UNHCR
  10. ^ Rediff.com
  11. ^ The Hindu: A few admirers attend Kondapalli's funeral