Will Action Against Konda Surekha Bring Discipline to Telangana Congress?

Telangana is set to go to Assembly elections in another two years. For some time now, many Congress MLAs have been openly criticizing their own government. Some have even directly targeted Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. The daughter of Minister Konda Surekha made sensational allegations, saying that after becoming Chief Minister, Revanth Reddy had become arrogant and that his family members were indulging in land irregularities as they pleased. Konda Surekha did not condemn these remarks and instead questioned what they had to do with her. As a result, many Congress leaders came to the opinion that it would be difficult for the Congress government to function smoothly for the next two years if the situation continued like this. The party’s disciplinary committee also reportedly submitted a similar report to the high command. It is against this backdrop that action has now been taken against Konda Surekha, who was serving as a minister. This is the first time that a minister has been removed from the Telangana Cabinet since the Congress government came to power in the state.

                                  By taking action against Konda Surekha and Chinna Reddy, the Congress high command appears to have given greater importance to ensuring that the Revanth Reddy government in Telangana functions smoothly for the next two years. However, whether such action against leaders like Konda Surekha and Chinna Reddy will actually bring discipline to the Congress remains doubtful. At least to some extent, the fact that the party high command has stood by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy at this crucial juncture appears to have cleared the way for him to complete his tenure smoothly in the coming days. At the same time, it is worth noting that disciplinary action does not seem to apply to leaders such as Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy. He is not the only one. Several other MLAs have also been criticizing their own government. Whether any of the dissenting leaders will raise their voices again after the Cabinet vacancies and nominated posts are filled, or whether everyone will fall in line, will become clear only in the coming days.

                                        After being dismissed from the Cabinet, Konda Surekha made key comments against Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. She expressed her anguish over what she described as her unjust removal from office. She said that even a person sentenced to death is given an opportunity to say something for the last time, but she was punished without being given any such opportunity. Surekha questioned the Congress leadership over why she was being punished for the comments made by her daughter, Konda Sushmita Patel, and what she had to do with her daughter’s opinion. She said that if she had been asked to resign, she would have done so, and that it would have been better if the party had first sought her explanation before taking action. She added that she would have accepted her dismissal if she had genuinely committed a mistake. “The ministerial post was only an ornament for me. It is painful to be removed without being given a reason. In the past, I myself resigned from the ministerial post. The ministers are currently not happy. They should say this themselves, with their hands on their hearts. All the ministers should come out and speak. I do not understand whom we are supposed to approach when we need work to be done. I want the six guarantees to be implemented. I did not say anything against the party or the government. Mallu Ravi also criticized the Congress party at one point. Jaipal Reddy criticized Indira Gandhi. Even Rosaiah criticized Indira Gandhi.”

                                          “Those who made allegations against CM Revanth Reddy were given posts and honored. We came up in politics without anyone’s support. They made my husband sit in a car and took him around Warangal. Those who once bowed at our feet and asked us to campaign for them are now criticizing us. Even the wife of the MLC from our constituency would not vote for him.” Surekha alleged that the AICC had no intention of removing her and claimed that she was dismissed because of “blackmail politics.” “Vem, Ponguleti, Tirupati Reddy and Kondal Reddy joined hands and troubled me. The person who collected money filed a case against my former OSD Sumanth. A person named Kiran collected money using Sumanth’s name. There is no precedent in history for people in a government troubling their own people. I am requesting the government to stop troubling Sumanth.”

                                              She also said that there are several issues the Congress government needs to correct and change. “There are several things the Congress government needs to correct and change. If the government wants to come back to power, many changes have to take place. It is not right to function like a monopoly. It is not right for someone to behave as though he alone is the Chief Minister. Decisions should be discussed before they are taken.” Surekha said she would continue as an MLA and serve the people of her constituency. She also admitted that she believed her position in the party could become difficult. “I will remain an MLA and serve the people of my constituency. I believe I may face difficulties within the party. If I condemn my daughter’s comments, it would amount to insulting her. I do not consider my removal as a minister an insult. If I had made a mistake, I would have faced the consequences. Dismissing me without me committing a mistake was the party’s mistake. There is a difference between Revanth Reddy and Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy,” she said.