Telangana Minister Konda Surekha Hits Out at CM Revanth After Kharge Meeting
Telangana Minister Konda Surekha, after meeting AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge, attacked CM Revanth Reddy and sought to remain in Cabinet.
Endowments Minister Konda Surekha on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, days after the party's disciplinary machinery was set in motion against her. The Minister, who met AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi, questioned why she was being held accountable for remarks made by her daughter, Sushmita.
Ms. Surekha said she had explained her position to the central leadership and requested that she be allowed to continue in the Cabinet. She argued that her daughter is a married, independent woman and that she cannot be held responsible for her comments. "I have told the Congress leadership everything I have to say. The party leaders said they would think about it," she told reporters in Delhi.
The Minister said she would neither condemn nor defend her daughter's remarks. She termed the show-cause notice issued to her a mistake and said she had submitted written explanations to Mr. Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal.
Ms. Surekha also questioned the party's handling of complaints against other leaders, specifically pointing to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's reported statement that he would remain in office for ten years. "Action should be taken against the Chief Minister before action is taken against me," she said, asking why similar disciplinary proceedings had not been initiated against him.
She further alleged that different standards were being applied within the party, noting that MLAs and other leaders who spoke against her had not been issued notices. Raising the issue of backward-class representation, Ms. Surekha said she is a BC Minister and warned that action against her could have political consequences if perceived as targeting a BC leader.
Ms. Surekha said no one in the party has asked her to resign and that she would not step down on her own. Maintaining that she has discharged her duties without any corruption allegations, she expressed her desire to continue serving the people.