HYDERABAD: The Congress high command has summoned Telangana Forest, Environment and Endowment Minister Konda Surekha to New Delhi amid growing speculation over possible disciplinary action against her following controversial remarks made by her daughter against Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
Surekha left for the national capital on Tuesday and is expected to meet Congress General Secretary K.C. Venugopal. She has also sought an appointment with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
The development comes at a time when Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president Mahesh Kumar Goud are also in Delhi. The visits have fuelled speculation that the party’s central leadership may take a final decision on disciplinary issues involving Surekha and Telangana Planning Board Vice-Chairman G. Chinna Reddy.
The TPCC Disciplinary Committee had reportedly recommended strong action against the two leaders. Its report, submitted on August 25, was subsequently forwarded by Goud to the Congress high command for a final decision.
According to party sources, the disciplinary panel recommended that Surekha be dropped from the Telangana Cabinet and that Chinna Reddy be removed from his post as Planning Board Vice-Chairman.
The action against Surekha is linked to remarks made by her daughter Konda Sushmita against Chief Minister Revanth Reddy at an event in Parkala in Warangal district. The disciplinary panel reportedly observed that Surekha should have condemned the remarks and also noted that it was not the first instance in which she had allegedly violated party discipline.
However, in her response to the show-cause notice, Surekha distanced herself from her daughter’s comments. She maintained that the remarks represented her daughter’s personal views and that she should not be held politically responsible for them. She also requested the committee to withdraw the notice issued to her.
Chinna Reddy, meanwhile, had also sought withdrawal of the notice issued to him. He reportedly explained that his recent comments were an expression of the grievances of long-standing Congress leaders and workers.
Chinna Reddy had made the remarks against the party leadership and Wanaparthy MLA T. Megha Reddy during the inauguration of a mandal Congress office at Gopalpet in Wanaparthy district on August 16.
Revanth pushes for action
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy is reportedly insisting that both Surekha and Chinna Reddy be removed from their respective positions.
Several senior Congress leaders and ministers, including Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, and Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, are also in Delhi. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu are expected to travel to the national capital.
The Delhi meetings are also significant amid reports that the Congress leadership is considering a Cabinet reshuffle and expansion in Telangana and is likely to finalise appointments to various nominated posts.
The central leadership is expected to hold consultations with Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natrajan, TPCC chief Mahesh Kumar Goud and other senior leaders before taking a final call on the disciplinary issues.
Revanth Reddy had earlier refused to comment publicly on the controversy involving Surekha and her daughter, saying that it was an internal party matter being handled by the Disciplinary Committee.
Emphasising the importance of discipline within the Congress, the Chief Minister had said that the high command’s decision would be final and all party leaders would have to abide by it.
