Hyderabad:
Telangana Congress leader Konda Surekha distanced herself from her daughter’s criticism of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and even reached out to the party high command – all in an attempt to save her ministerial berth. Her efforts, however, turned out to be futile on Thursday after she was dropped from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect – a move she ascribed to “settling a grudge”.
After being dropped from the cabinet, the former state Forest and Endowments Minister returned to her oft-repeated defence that she cannot be punished for her daughter Konda Sushmita’s actions. She called her sacking “a conspiratorial action” and argued that many politicians in the past had escaped harsh punishment despite openly criticising Congress bigwigs such as Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.
“I have not criticised the party or the chief minister anywhere. Yet, they issued me show-cause notices. Even after I responded to them, they were not satisfied and took conspiratorial actions against me. Leaders like Mallu Ravi, Rosayya, and Jaipal Reddy have instances of severely criticising leaders like Rajiv Gandhi and Indira Gandhi. Those who criticised the Congress party and the party leadership are the ones continuing in their positions today. It is heartbreaking that they are using my daughter’s words against me to settle a grudge,” she wrote on X.
She also accused the chief minister of blackmailing the party high command into removing her.
“The high command has no intention to remove me. I know that 100 per cent. But the Chief Minister indulged in blackmail politics, saying he would go if I am not removed,” she told reporters later.
Surekha’s trouble began after her daughter criticised the chief minister and other party leaders, attracting sharp reactions from the MLAs of the ruling party.
She was asked to explain the remarks.
“Expecting another person to take political responsibility or demanding an explanation for someone’s opinions merely due to family relations is improper,” she explained to the Telangana Congress unit.
She later met with Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan in Delhi to control the damage and explain her position.
Her explanation proved inadequate. The party’s disciplinary panel recommended action against her.
On Wednesday, she claimed the call for disciplinary action against her was influenced by “somebody”. She, however, fell short of naming the person.
She also claimed she had sent emails to top Congress leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi, explaining she didn’t share her daughter’s opinion about the chief minister.
Also read: “Even Your Father Can’t…”: Minister’s Daughter Dares Revanth Reddy, Exposes Party Rift
Konda Sushmita’s Remark
Konda Sushmita wanted a Congress ticket from Parkal. On Wednesday, she challenged Revanth Reddy’s backing of sitting MLA Revuri Prakash Reddy.
She said she would contest the poll independently and win it.
“Why wait two years? Ask him to resign right now! Tell him to resign and contest the elections. Whether you, your father, or your grandfather comes, I will be the MLA of Parkal,” she said.
Accusing Revanth Reddy of being “arrogant”, she said: “Who is he to decide by ticket?”
Won’t Quit Congress, Says Konda Surekha
Konda Surekha said she hadn’t been spoken to by the party’s high command before her sacking.
“A candidate was announced in the Parkal constituency for the upcoming elections, and party workers were asked to ensure the candidate’s victory. My daughter reacted to this and questioned why that candidate’s name was announced there and why it was necessary to do so without considering other constituencies. We have won from this constituency three or four times. I am also an aspirant. How can a candidate be announced there without asking anyone? That was the issue,” she explained.
“Even when a prisoner is going to be executed, they ask him what his final wish is. Similarly, before removing me, the high command should have told me: ‘You resign, otherwise we are going to take this action,'” she added.
She said she would not resign from the party.
“We are not going to leave the Congress party. My journey in the party has been for around 30 years. My husband was also associated with the Congress for many years,” she said.
