Kondapalli Seetharamaiah

For other uses, see Kondapalli (disambiguation).

In this Telugu name, the surname is Kondapalli.
Kondapalli Seetharamaiah
Born1914
Lingavaram, Andhra Pradesh, India
DiedApril 12, 2002
Vijayawada
NationalityIndian
Known forProminent Figure of Naxal movement in India

Kondapalli Seetharamaiah (Telugu: కొండపల్లి సీతారామయ్య; 1914—12 April 2002) was a senior communist leader and Maoist organizer in India.

Early life

Kondapalli Seetharamaiah was born into a rich family in Lingavaram village, Nandivada mandal of Gudivada revenue division, Krishna District, Andhra Pradesh, and was brought up in the nearby Jonnapadu village. Kondapalli Seetha Ramaiah also lived in Jannaram village, of Mancherial district for almost 20 and more years, he moved here along with one of the close associates Mulupuri Gopal Rao. His mother was murdered when they were living in Jannaram.

Political career

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Kondapalli Seetharamaiah, at a young age, joined the communist movements. He went on to become the Krishna District Secretary of the Communist Party of India. His CPI unit was active during the Telangana Rebellion. When the Communist Party of India was divided in 1964, Seetharamaiah withdrew from political life. He began working as a Hindi teacher at St. Gabriel's High 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 26 April 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 22 April 1980 he founded the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) People's War.[4]

On 2 January 1982 he was arrested in Hyderabad at Begumpet Railway Station, when waiting to board a train to Bombay. On 4 January 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 Khammam 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 humanitarian grounds.

Final years

During his final years, he abstained from political activities. He suffered from Alzheimer's disease. Kondapalli Seetharamaiah died in his granddaughter's house in Vijayawada on 12 April 2002. He was 87 years old.[1] He was survived by his wife Koteswaramma and two granddaughters, K. Anuradha and K. Sudha.[10] Funeral services were arranged the next day. According to press reports, only a handful of people turned up.[11]

References

  1. ^ a b "Kondapalli Seetharamaiah dead". The Hindu. 13 April 2002. Archived from the original on 6 November 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  2. ^ Singh, Prakash, The Naxalite Movement in India. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., 1999, ISBN 81-7167-294-9, p. 105.
  3. ^ "History of Naxalism". Hindustan Times. 15 December 2005. Archived from the original on 14 August 2016.
  4. ^ a b Singh, Prakash, The Naxalite Movement in India. New Delhi: Rupa & Co., 1999, ISBN 81-7167-294-9, p. 106.
  5. ^ Ramakrishnan, Venkitesh (8 October 2005). "The road from Naxalbari". Frontline. Archived from the original on 17 October 2006.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  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. ^ Jafri, Syed Amin (12 April 2002). "PWG founder Kondapalli Seetharamaiah dead". Rediff.
  11. ^ "A few admirers attend Kondapalli's funeral". The Hindu. 14 April 2002. Archived from the original on 6 September 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)