India, Oct. 20 -- The surrender of one of the country's seniormost Maoist leaders Mallojula Venugopal alias Bhupathi, along with 60 other Maoists, comes as a major triumph for the Maharashtra government. Getting Bhupathi, who is a politburo member of the banned CPI (Maoist), to surrender by negotiating with him following his differences with other leaders of the outfit, is being perceived as a major coup of the home department led by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

According to CMO officials, the plan to get Bhupathi to give himself up was underway ever since his wife and Maoist leader Tarakka Sidam relinquished arms before Fadnavis in January 2025. While Bhupathi was in two minds about surrendering, and whether to do this in Maharasht...