Following the announcement of Nambala Keshava Rao alias Basavaraju, 61, as the new CPI (Maoist) general secretary, state intelligence officials feel the banned outfit might become more militaristic in the future with the change of guard.

Basavaraju took over from Muppala Lakshmana Rao alias Ganapathy, 71, according to a statement dated November 10, and released on Wednesday. Sources said that for the past several months, there has been speculation in Bastar and Gadchiroli about Ganpathy's failing health. It was reported that the Naxal leader, who has a Rs 2.5 crore bounty on his head, was suffering from liver problems and had to be carried around.