Congress high command continues consultations on Telangana minister Konda Surekha’s future

Hyderabad/New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Forest, Environment, and Endowment Minister Konda Surekha, state Congress President Mahesh Kumar Goud had separate meetings with party President Mallikarjun Kharge in the national capital on Wednesday as the Congress high command continued consultations for second day to take a final decision on the minister’s future.

CM Revanth Reddy and Goud also had meetings with Congress General Secretary, Organisation, K.C Venugopal, while Surekha is likely to meet him later.

She also met state in-charge Meenakshi Natrajan. Later, the minister told media persons that she conveyed to party leaders whatever she wanted to convey.

Surekha, who is in the eye of a storm over her daughter’s remarks against Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, said that she is waiting for the high command’s decision.

The minister said she had not yet been told to resign. “I don’t know what decision the party takes about me,” she said. However, some of the remarks she made indicate that the high command has made up its mind.

Asserting that she belongs to a backward class, Surekha remarked that there can’t be one justice for her and another for others. She said that Cabinet ministers from other social groups have serious allegations against them. “What action will be taken against them?” she asked.

She claimed that her performance as a minister is good and that there are no allegations of corruption against her.

Surekha said she had already conveyed in writing to Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders about the happenings in the party in Telangana. The minister said during the meeting with Kharge, she requested him to take all aspects into consideration.

She said she was issued a show-cause notice for the remarks made by her daughter. “I said in my reply that she is married and independent and has the freedom to speak whatever she feels. I can’t be held responsible for what she speaks,” she said and found fault with the Disciplinary Committee issuing a show-cause notice to her.

The minister demanded that the party issue notices to those MLAs and MLCs who spoke against her. She said those who were behind these MLAs and MLCs should also be identified and action be taken against them.

Meanwhile, state chief Goud said he discussed the issues related to Surekha with the high command. He had separate meetings with Kharge and Venugopal.

The state Congress chief said the high command will take a final decision on Surekha.

He told the media that the high command expressed satisfaction over the performance of the Congress government in Telangana during the 1,000 days.

–IANS

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