With reports strongly suggesting that Minister Konda Surekha is likely to be dropped from the cabinet, intense speculation has gripped Telangana Congress circles over who might take her place. Sources indicate that the party leadership is weighing several names, keeping in mind BC community equations and the quota allotted to the erstwhile Warangal district.
Comments made by Susmita, daughter of Minister Konda Surekha, targeting CM Revanth Reddy and Parkal MLA Revoori Prakash Reddy have stirred controversy within the Congress party. The PCC Disciplinary Committee has directed that an explanation be provided regarding these remarks. However, the minister wrote a letter to the PCC Disciplinary Committee on Thursday, stating that issuing her a notice over her daughter’s comments went against principles of natural justice. She questioned what connection she had to her daughter’s personal opinions, clarifying that she herself had not made any remarks against the party.
Meanwhile, the party has taken Susmita’s comments against the CM seriously. Available Congress MLAs and MLCs held a meeting at the CLP office in Hyderabad, discussing Susmita’s remarks and Minister Surekha’s conduct. They demanded that she distance herself from her daughter’s comments if she had no connection to them. MLAs alleged that Surekha had caused embarrassment to the party in the past as well through similar loose remarks, adding that comments from her family had repeatedly created problems for the party. They suggested that any grievances should be raised within CLP or PCC meetings rather than aired publicly in a manner that damages the party. They noted that remaining within the party while making comments against the CM effectively handed a weapon to the opposition, and demanded action against Surekha to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future.
Reports suggest that, taking past incidents into account as well, Revanth Reddy is inclined to remove her from the cabinet, with the party leadership also reportedly serious about the matter. However, speculation is rife over who would replace her, given that Surekha belongs to the BC community — meaning her replacement would likely also need to come from the same community. Several BC MLAs are said to be ready and waiting for a cabinet berth, with names such as Adi Srinivas from the erstwhile Karimnagar district and MLC Baswaraju Sarayya from the erstwhile Warangal district prominently doing the rounds.
The erstwhile Karimnagar district already has three ministers in the cabinet — Ponnam Prabhakar representing the BC community, Adluri Laxman representing the Dalit community, and Sridhar Babu representing the Brahmin community. With three berths already allotted to the district, there is discussion over whether a fourth would be given, and whether that would raise questions from other districts that currently lack cabinet representation, such as Rangareddy and Nizamabad.
MLC Baswaraju Sarayya’s name from the erstwhile Warangal district is also prominently in the mix. If he is given the opportunity, it would mean the replacement comes from Surekha’s own district, while also allowing the party to claim it has replaced the berth with another BC leader — specifically from the Rajaka community, considered among the more marginalised sections within the BCs. Sarayya joined the Congress after coming from the BRS. His term as MLC is set to end this November, meaning that if he is made a minister, he would need to be elected as either an MLC or MLA within six months of that date, failing which his ministerial position would run into trouble. Konda Surekha currently represents Warangal East, a seat Sarayya himself had previously won as MLA. He had also earlier served as a minister in the undivided Andhra Pradesh cabinet under Kiran Kumar Reddy from 2010 to 2014.
From the erstwhile Nalgonda district, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy and N. Uttam Kumar Reddy currently hold ministerial berths. Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy, also from the same district, has been aspiring for a cabinet position, repeatedly reminding the party leadership of an assurance reportedly given to him. Aleru MLA Beerla Ailaiah Yadav’s name from the same district is also being floated for a ministerial berth. However, if Ailaiah is given the post, it would effectively rule out Rajagopal Reddy, who has repeatedly and openly criticised CM Revanth Reddy whenever the opportunity arose. This raises the question of how the party would placate Rajagopal Reddy if Ailaiah were chosen instead — a concern that could work against Ailaiah’s chances. In Mahabubnagar district, Vakiti Srihari represents the BC community and Jupally Krishna Rao represents the Velama community. From the same district’s Shadnagar constituency, Veerlapalli Shankar entered the Assembly for the first time. Shankar belongs to the BC community, specifically the Rajaka sub-caste. If Shankar is given the opportunity, it would signal that the berth has gone to a representative of one of the more marginalised sections within the BCs.