Congress Weighs Surekha’s Future as Telangana Minister Refuses to Quit
NEW DELHI/HYDERABAD, Sept. 3: Telangana minister Konda Surekha’s political future remained uncertain Thursday as the Congress leadership considered disciplinary action against her following an escalating confrontation with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. Despite reports suggesting that her removal from the Cabinet is likely, the party had not formally announced any decision as of Thursday morning. The Telangana government’s official website continued to list Surekha as minister for Environment and Forests and Endowments.
The dispute intensified Wednesday after Surekha met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi to explain her position in a controversy that began with public remarks by her daughter, Konda Sushmita Patel, against Revanth Reddy.
After the meeting, however, Surekha publicly challenged the case being made against her, saying she would not voluntarily resign from the Cabinet and arguing that the Congress should also examine the conduct of the Chief Minister and other senior leaders if it intended to proceed against her.
Surekha said she could not be held responsible for statements made by her adult, married daughter and maintained that she had submitted her explanation to the party leadership. She also questioned Revanth Reddy’s statements about remaining Chief Minister for another decade and his public backing of sitting Parkal MLA Revuri Prakash Reddy for a future Assembly election, arguing that such decisions ultimately belonged to the Congress leadership.
She further alleged that she was being treated differently because she is a woman from a Backward Class community and called for equal scrutiny of complaints or allegations involving other Congress leaders. Those allegations have not been independently established and should not be treated as findings of wrongdoing.
Row began with daughter’s remarks
The immediate controversy dates to August 19, when Sushmita criticised Revanth Reddy at a public event in Geesugonda in the Warangal region. Her comments followed the Chief Minister’s public support for Revuri Prakash Reddy, the sitting Congress MLA from Parkal, for the next Assembly election. Sushmita has political ambitions in Parkal and said she could contest independently if denied the Congress nomination.
Sushmita also made allegations involving the Chief Minister and his family. Those claims have not been established by any official finding.
On August 20, the Telangana Congress disciplinary committee sought an explanation from Surekha over her daughter’s remarks. Committee chairman Mallu Ravi said statements targeting the Chief Minister and a sitting Congress legislator were inappropriate and gave Surekha three days to respond.
Surekha subsequently argued that making her answer for the political statements of an independently acting adult daughter was unjustified.
Telangana Congress dispute shifts to Delhi
The controversy has since moved from the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee to the party’s national leadership.
Revanth Reddy, TPCC president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud and AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan held discussions in Delhi with Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal. The New Indian Express reported, citing party sources, that the Chief Minister pressed for stern action against Surekha and sought approval to remove her from his Cabinet.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy also met Kharge later Wednesday as the leadership sought views from senior Telangana figures.
The Congress did not announce a decision Wednesday night. The New Indian Express reported that the matter was deferred because Rahul Gandhi returned to Delhi late from Nashik and that Revanth Reddy was expected to meet him Thursday.
Several publications, citing unnamed Congress sources, have reported that asking Surekha to resign or dropping her from the Cabinet is under active consideration. Those reports indicate that her position has become precarious, but they do not amount to an official decision by the Congress or the Telangana government.
Any formal change in the state Council of Ministers would ultimately have to follow the constitutional process. Article 164 of the Constitution provides that state ministers are appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister and hold office during the Governor’s pleasure.
For now, Surekha remains a minister, and the central question is whether the Congress leadership will seek her resignation, approve her removal from the Cabinet, impose some other disciplinary action or attempt another reconciliation.
The confrontation has exposed a broader struggle over authority and discipline within the Telangana Congress, turning what began as a controversy over Sushmita’s remarks into an open dispute between a senior Cabinet minister and the Chief Minister.
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