Telangana minister Surekha refuses to quit, dares Congress high command to sack her

Telangana endowments and forests minister Konda Surekha on Wednesday refused to step down from her post and challenged the Congress high command to sack her, if it decides to do so, for allegedly violating the party discipline.

Surekha, who rushed to New Delhi on Tuesday, met AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday and presented her version on the latest controversy over her daughter Konda Sushmita’s outburst against the party in general and chief minister A Revanth Reddy in particular at a meeting in Warangal on August 19.

Earlier in the day, the chief minister met the party top leaders and discussed the latest situation in the state Congress. A party leader familiar with the development said Revanth Reddy insisted on taking a firm action against Surekha and also former minister G Chinna Reddy, who also made serious comments against him and the party.

Surekha, who had already submitted her explanation to the show-cause notice served on her by the Telangana PCC disciplinary committee on August 20, told reporters in New Dehi that she had also given written explanations to Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and party general secretary KC Venugopal.

She made it clear that she was prepared to face any decision taken by the party leadership. “There is no question of resigning from the cabinet. So far, the high command has not asked me to resign. If the high command wants to dismiss me because of the pressure being exerted by Revanth Reddy, let it do so,” she said.

The minister said she had requested the party leadership not to hold her responsible for statements made independently by her daughter. “My daughter is an independent person. She got married and is now the daughter-in-law of another family. She has the right to speak about her own life. Her life is her choice, just as my political life and that of my husband are our choices,” Surekha said.

She maintained that she had been performing well as a minister and had no corruption allegations whatsoever against her. She said she wanted to continue in office and had conveyed the same request to the party high command.

Surekha also objected to the party seeking an explanation from her over her daughter’s comments. “I will neither respond to nor endorse my daughter’s remarks. Many people speak every day, and Sushmita is one among them. It is not right to hold me responsible merely because she is my daughter,” she said.

The minister claimed that some people within the party had been made to level allegations against her. She said she knew who was behind the allegations but declined to name them, saying that doing so could create another controversy.

She argued that those who had levelled allegations against her should also be issued show-cause notices and subjected to disciplinary action. “I have explained everything that I had to tell the Congress high command. The party leaders said they would consider the matter. I have also explained my position to AICC general secretary in-charge of Telangana Meenakshi Natarajan, who said she would convey it to the high command,” she said.

Surekha further questioned why action was being considered against her before action was taken against the chief minister. “If action has to be taken against me, action should first be taken against the chief minister,” she said, while questioning Revanth Reddy’s reported assertion that he would remain chief minister for 10 years.

She also raised questions about alleged complaints against ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and Bhatti Vikramarka’s wife, particularly those relating to alleged commissions. “There have been many complaints regarding commissions involving Ponguleti and Bhatti’s wife. Why is nobody speaking about those allegations?” she asked.

Surekha also questioned the Congress leadership over what she described as differential treatment of leaders belonging to different social groups. “I belong to a Backward Class. Will there be one set of rules for me and another for people belonging to other communities? There are serious allegations against members of other social groups in the Cabinet. What answers will they give and what action will be taken against them?” she asked.

She urged the party leadership to consider all aspects before taking any decision. “If the party takes any action against me, it would have to face a reprisal from the entire backward class communities in the state,” she warned.