Congress high command summons Telangana minister Surekha to Delhi

Hyderabad, Sep 1 (IANS) The Congress high command has summoned Telangana Forest, Environment, and Endowment Minister Konda Surekha, who is in the eye of the storm over her daughter’s remarks against Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, to the national capital.

Surekha left for New Delhi on Tuesday, where she will meet Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal. She has also sought an appointment with party President Mallikarjun Kharge.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and state Congress chief Mahesh Kumar Goud have also reached the national capital amid the buzz that the high command is likely to crack the whip against Surekha and Telangana Planning Board Vice-Chairman G. Chinna Reddy for their alleged indiscipline.

The development came days after the Disciplinary Committee of the state Congress unit reportedly recommended strong action against Surekha and Chinna Reddy.

State President Goud has forwarded the report of the Disciplinary Committee to the top party leadership for a final decision.

Several ministers, including Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy and Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar and senior leaders, were also in Delhi amid reports that the party leadership is planning a Cabinet reshuffle and expansion. It is also likely to finalise names for appointments to the nominated posts.

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and industry and IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu are likely to leave for the national capital on Tuesday night or on Wednesday morning.

The party leadership will have consultations with key leaders, including the Chief Minister, AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natrajan, state chief Goud and ministers before taking a final decision on the internal issues of the party, especially the issue related to minister Surekha and Chinna Reddy.

Revanth Reddy is insisting on removing Surekha and Chinna Reddy from their posts.

The TPCC Disciplinary Committee on August 25 submitted its report to the state President. It is understood to have recommended that the party drop Surekha from the Cabinet and also remove Chinna Reddy from his post.

The action was recommended against Surekha and Chinna Reddy for their remarks considered damaging to the party and its leadership.

Chinna Reddy, a senior leader, enjoys the Cabinet rank in his capacity as the Vice-Chairman of the Planning Board.

The Disciplinary Panel reportedly observed that Surekha should have condemned the remarks made by her daughter Konda Sushmita against Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. The report also mentioned that this was not the first time that she violated party discipline.

In her reply to the show-cause notice issued by the Disciplinary Committee, Surekha had distanced herself from the comments made by Sushmita at an event at Parkala in Warangal district.

The minister stated in her reply that she should not be held politically responsible for remarks made against the Chief Minister, and that those were personal views of her daughter.

She had urged the Disciplinary Committee to withdraw the notice issued to her.

Chinna Reddy had also urged the Disciplinary Committee to withdraw the notice issued to him. He said in his reply that the comments made by him recently were only an expression of the grievances of long-standing party leaders and workers.

He had made the remarks against the party leadership and Wanaparthy MLA T Megha Reddy during the inauguration of the mandal Congress office at Gopalpet in Wanaparthy district on August 16.

At a press conference on August 24, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy had declined to comment on the controversy involving Surekha and her daughter.

He said he would not like to speak on the party’s internal matters before the media as the issue was already being handled by the Disciplinary Committee.

The Chief Minister, while underlining the importance of discipline in the party, said that the party high command’s decision would be final and all leaders have to abide by it.

–IANS

ms/vd