Surekha’s Exit From Telangana Cabinet Seems Apparent
The high command is understood to have viewed Surekha’s conduct as a serious breach of party discipline, particularly at a time when the leadership was attempting to contain the controversy.
Hyderabad:State minister Konda Surekha’s exit from the Telangana Cabinet appears imminent, with the Congress high command reportedly closing in on a decision following her open criticism of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and some of his ministerial colleagues in Delhi on Wednesday.
The issue assumed serious proportions after Surekha, who met AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge to present her version of the controversy triggered by remarks made by her daughter against the Chief Minister and his family members, chose to speak publicly against the party leadership soon after the meeting. Her comments, first made during an informal interaction with mediapersons and subsequently on record in front of the AICC headquarters, are learnt to have angered the Congress leadership.
The high command is understood to have viewed Surekha’s conduct as a serious breach of party discipline, particularly at a time when the leadership was attempting to contain the controversy. Her public statements against the Chief Minister and other senior leaders are learnt to have strengthened the case for her removal from the Cabinet.
However, the final decision is likely to be taken only after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Kharge and AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal discuss the matter. Rahul Gandhi was not in Delhi for most of Wednesday and reached the national capital late in the evening. Consequently, the meeting of the top leadership could not take place, and a final decision was deferred.
The day witnessed hectic political activity in Delhi, with senior Telangana Congress leaders making a beeline for the residences and offices of the party’s central leadership to put forward their views on the escalating controversy.
Revanth Reddy met Kharge and Venugopal for the second consecutive day and is understood to have strongly urged the central leadership to act swiftly against Surekha. The Chief Minister reportedly stressed the need to send a clear message that public criticism of the party leadership and indiscipline would not be tolerated.
Soon after, AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan and TPCC president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud met Kharge and Venugopal. They too are learnt to have sought action against Surekha and briefed the central leadership on the political fallout of the controversy in Telangana.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy subsequently met Kharge and reportedly pressed for action against Surekha.
The sequence of meetings assumes significance as the demand for disciplinary action against Surekha has gathered momentum within the state Congress. The issue is no longer confined to the controversy involving her daughter’s remarks but has widened into a confrontation between a Cabinet minister and the Chief Minister.
The high command is now faced with the task of ending the controversy before it further damages the party’s image and affects its functioning in Telangana. With Rahul Gandhi back in Delhi, the final call on Surekha’s political fate is expected within the next one or two days.