Ex-Maoist leader Gajarla Ashok alias Aitu joins Congress

Warangal: Gajarala Ashok alias Auti, a former Maoist state committee member, joined the Congress in the presence of TPCC chief A. Revanth Reddy in Hyderabad on Thursday. Ashok is a native of Velishala of Tekumatla mandal of Jayashankar Bhupalpally district.

His family is known for taking on the landlords via the then People's War Group and then with the Maoists. Ashok had played a key role during the PWG’s peace talks in 2004-05 when then Chief Minister Y.S.Rajashekar Reddy.

There is speculation that the Congress may field him at Parkal which has a history of fighting against the Razakars. His entry may benefit the party in three other seats, Bhupalpally, Mulugu and Manthani.