Bhubaneswar, April 27: The release of BJD MLA Jhina Hikaka could be a tactical move by Maoist brass controlling operations in southern Odisha and Chhattisgarh for whom Sukma collector Alex Paul Menon appears to be a bigger catch.

Sources said the Odisha-Andhra Border Special Zonal Committee of the Maoists, which kidnapped Hikaka, and their South Bastar Regional Committee, which is said to be behind Menon’s abduction, are both controlled by leaders from Andhra Pradesh and have been working in close co-ordination.

The decision to release Hikaka was taken soon after the collector was taken captive by the regional committee, led by Ramanna, on April 21, so that the rebels, operating on the border of the two states, could concentrate exclusively on Menon and extract maximum possible concessions from the Chhattisgarh government.

Sources said Hikaka’s captors had, in any case, realised that there was little more to be gained by holding him further.

While the Odisha government had made it clear that it would not release Maoists such as Chhenda Bhushnam alias Ghasi, it also remained firm on its stand that the detainees, whose freedom was being demanded in exchange of the MLA, would have to apply for bail.

Hence, the zonal committee decided to let the MLA walk free after ensuring his humiliation in a people’s court, where he was asked to give an undertaking that he would resign his Assembly seat upon his release as the government had failed to meet his captors’ demands.

“By setting him free in this manner, their objective was also to show the Odisha government in a poor light. However, they wanted to get rid of him in any case as they had to join forces with their colleagues in Chhattisgarh’s bordering areas to make the most of the hostage situation in that state, where the government appears to be much more proactive,” sources said.

Senior officials said that barring pockets such as Kandhamal, where Odia leaders such as Sabyasachi Panda are active, the Maoist movement in Odisha and Chhattisgarh is controlled by Andhra Pradesh leaders.

“The ordinary cadres from these states are but foot soldiers being used as cannon fodder in the Maoists’ war against the state,” said sources.

Like the zonal committee, led by Ramakrishna, controls the Maoist operations in the whole of southern Odisha and even parts of Kandhamal bordering Rayagada district, rebel operations in Chhattisgarh are led by their Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, which works under the command of Satyanarayan Reddy.

The South Bastar Regional Committee also takes orders from Reddy, who has been working in sync with Ramakrishna.

Such is the domination of the Andhra Pradesh leaders in the Maoist set-up of Odisha and Chhattisgarh that leaders such as Sabyasachi Panda are not only feeling threatened, but they virtually find themselves helpless.

“Panda showed a rebellious streak when recently he kidnapped two Italians without taking the Andhra leaders into confidence. Now, they are gunning for him. His area of operation even in Kandhamal is getting narrowed down,” said a source.