HYDERABAD, SEPTEMBER 3: Former Telangana Minister Konda Surekha on Thursday questioned the decision to remove her from the State Cabinet, saying she was punished without being given an opportunity to explain her position.
Reacting to her dismissal as Minister for Endowments, Ms. Surekha said even a person facing a death sentence was given a final opportunity to speak, but she was removed without being heard. She questioned why she should be held responsible for remarks made by her daughter, Konda Susmitha Patel, and said the Congress leadership should have sought her explanation before taking action.
“If I had been asked to resign, I would have done so,” Ms. Surekha said. She added that she would have accepted the decision had the government found her personally responsible for any wrongdoing after seeking her explanation. The ministerial post was only an “ornament” for her, she said, adding that being removed without being told the reason was painful.
Ms. Surekha also criticised the functioning of the Congress government and called for the implementation of the six guarantees. She alleged that several Ministers were unhappy with the way the government was functioning and urged them to speak openly about their concerns. Decision-making, she said, should involve consultation rather than being concentrated in the hands of one person.
The former Minister alleged that she had been targeted through “blackmail politics” and named several Congress leaders whom she accused of acting together against her. She also sought an end to what she described as the harassment of her former Officer on Special Duty, Sumanth, in connection with an alleged money-collection case. These allegations could not be independently verified.
Ms. Surekha said the Congress government needed to make several changes if it wanted to return to power. “Monopoly politics is not right,” she said, while also asserting that she would continue as an MLA and work for the people of her constituency.
On her daughter’s remarks, Ms. Surekha said she could not condemn them in a manner that would amount to humiliating her. She maintained that she had not criticised the Congress party or the government and said removing her despite not having committed any wrongdoing was a mistake on the part of the party.
Drawing a comparison between Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, Ms. Surekha said there was a difference between the two leaders. She also said the Congress leadership needed to reconsider its approach and consult its leaders before taking major decisions.
