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Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has told the Congress high command that strict disciplinary action is needed against endowments minister Konda Surekha to send a message that indiscipline will not be tolerated within the party, according to sources cited by the Times of India.

Revanth met All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal in New Delhi on Tuesday, September 1, for a one-on-one meeting that lasted nearly an hour. The two are also learnt to have discussed a broader cabinet reshuffle, a possible replacement for Surekha, filling two vacant cabinet berths, the government’s 1,000-day scorecard, the upcoming Member of Legislative Council (MLC) elections and nominated posts.

The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) disciplinary action committee has recommended Surekha’s removal from the cabinet and sought the resignation of planning board vice-chairman G Chinna Reddy. The action follows controversy over remarks by Surekha’s daughter, Konda Sushmitha, against the chief minister, according to other reports.

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Surekha travelled to Delhi on Tuesday after being summoned by the AICC leadership, which is expected to seek her response to the disciplinary panel’s findings.

Venugopal has called AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan and TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud for talks on Wednesday before a final report goes to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. Goud has already reached the capital. A meeting between Revanth and Kharge or Gandhi later this week has not been ruled out, sources said.

No final decision has been taken. A senior AICC leader said the leadership would weigh what serves the party’s prospects of returning to power in the next elections, sends a message against indiscipline, and ensures Revanth is “respected by one and all,” adding that the party does not want to lose Telangana.

Speculation within the party has turned to who might replace Surekha if she is dropped. It remains unclear whether the names of women legislators or MLCs figured in the Revanth-Venugopal meeting. Among the male contenders being discussed are Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy, Mahesh Kumar Goud, Adi Srinivas, Balu Naik, Malreddy Ranga Reddy, T Ram Mohan Reddy and Kokkirala Prem Sagar Rao.

Party sources said there is concern that inaction could embolden indiscipline within the Congress going forward. At the same time, the high command is weighing the political fallout of removing Surekha, a Backward Class (BC) woman leader, as it finalises its decision.