Hyderabad, September 3 (Daily Kiran) : Konda Surekha, the Minister for Forests, Environment, and Endowments in Telangana, sharply criticized her removal from the cabinet on Thursday. She accused Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao of blackmailing the Congress high command following her abrupt dismissal.
In response to her removal, which she described as an act of vengeance, Surekha stated that the decision was made without any prior explanation. A statement from the Chief Minister’s office indicated that a recommendation regarding her dismissal had already been sent to the Governor.
Surekha claimed that the communication sent to the Governor lacked proper letterhead and signatures. She expressed her frustration over being dismissed without any justification.
The minister alleged that Rao threatened the Congress leadership, claiming he would leave the party if she was not removed. She accused Rao’s brothers, along with other party leaders, of conspiring against her and her former officer on special duty, Sumanth.
She emphasized that this was a targeted attack, noting that no actions were taken against other leaders involved in misconduct. Surekha highlighted instances where senior leaders, like Mallu Ravi and Jaipal Reddy, had made disparaging remarks against Indira Gandhi but remained in their positions.
“If it’s my turn today, yours could be next,” she warned her colleagues, urging them to speak out openly. She referenced Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s encouragement for women and young girls to express themselves fearlessly, mentioning her daughter Sushmita’s comments against Rao that led to her dismissal.
Surekha clarified that she should not be held accountable for her daughter’s remarks and felt no need to condemn them. She provided copies of letters she sent to top party leaders, including AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi.
The Congress leader from Warangal stated she would not ask the high command to reverse its decision but advised the party to refine its strategy ahead of the municipal elections. She also alleged that her powers as a minister were undermined due to interference from MLA Kadiyam Srihari.
Despite the turmoil, Surekha expressed pride in her role, noting that her efforts led to the appointment of three women from marginalized communities to significant positions: Gadwal Vijayalakshmi as Vice Chairperson of the Telangana Planning Board, Nerella Sharda as Chairperson of the Telangana State Commission, and G. Sudha Rani as Chairperson of the Kakatiya Urban Development Authority (KUDA).
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