Former Maoist leader in Lalgarh Chatradhar Mahato is all set to be freed by the West Bengal government, following a reduction in his jail term by the Calcutta High Court last week.
After his release, Chatradhar is likely to strengthen the hands of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee again like he did a decade back when he sparked massive unrest in the Junglemahal region of West Bengal, with the help of Kishenji, the chairman of the CPI(Maoist) military commission, against then chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee of the CPI(M).
Chatradhar is now badly needed by the Trinamool Congress at a crucial juncture for the party. Only three months back, the BJP defeated the Trinamool Congress in all five seats of the Junglemahal region, banking on the huge resentment in the tribal community, just like Buddhadeb had faced a decade back. The resentment was all due to the 'cut money' being taken by the local TMC leaders who were formerly Maoists and who once sold dreams to the poor tribal people.
Kishenji made Juglemahal the second liberated zone of West Bengal for leftwing extremist—after Naxalbari—with the help of Chatradhar, who was the founder of the Maoist-backed tribal group, People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA). Chatradhar's younger brother, Sashadhar Mahato, was a member of an armed squad in Juglemahal who had died during a police encounter at the height of the Lalgarh movement.
Mamata Banerjee, then opposition leader, joined the Lalgarh movement and Chatradhar became her right-hand man in Lalgarh. It was Chatradhar who in 2010 organised a massive rally for Banerjee in Lalgarh—when it was a liberated zone—that Banerjee and many other intellectuals attended. So did many Maoist activists and cadres with arms and ammunition.
However, things took a different turn when 'Operation Green Hunt' began and Banerjee became chief minister of West Bengal after 34 years of Left rule in 2011. Chatradhar was booked under the UAPA and was arrested by police before Banerjee became chief minister. He had left his hideout to give an interview to a news channel. Kishenji was treated as the most wanted terrorist in the country who was later finished off by Central armed police forces with the help of the STF, Kolkata, which provided valuable information to Central forces.
While she played a crucial role in eliminating Kishenji, Banerjee did not live up to her promise to free Chatradhar once she came to power. As a result, Chatradhar became a staunch critic of Banerjee and called her a "betrayer".
But today, much water has flown under the proverbial bridge and Banerjee would need Chatradhar, who belongs to the Koormi tribe in Junglemahal, but is known to be a strong opponent of Banerjee these days.
Recently, the Calcutta High Court reduced the life imprisonment of Chatradhar to 10 years imprisonment, which he has already served.
Almost 10 years later, when he would be released, the wheels of fortune would turn for Chatradhar again. Though he is lodged in Presidency Jail in Kolkata, most of the time in recent months, Chatradhar stayed in state hospitals and was given 'VIP' treatment by the Banerjee government.
Knowing fully well that the BJP would not accept him, Chatradhar has not ruled out joining the TMC again. Chatradhar told a well-wisher, "I am not new in TMC. I was their student leader during my young days." Today, he is 47. Chatradhar would not be able to fight an election, but he can still get things done for the TMC.
However, leader of his own community have a word of caution for Chatradhar. "Chatradhar should understand that the chief minister also betrayed him. She did nothing to release him. We are totally opposed to his joining TMC or, in fact, any party," said Subol Mahato, a Koormi tribal leader.
No Trinamool Congress leader would comment on Chatradhar as one of them said, "This is very sensitive issue. Let our leader decide first."
But Chatradhar knows unless he speaks in the same tune set by Banerjee, he might have to face more trouble in the coming days. Chatradhar is facing as many as 67 cases and the state government may very much go to the Supreme Court against his release.
