Hyderabad: Soon after East Warangal MLA and former endowments minister Konda Surekha alleged she was sacked because she is a Backwards Classes (BC) woman, the government has made three new appointments from her same community, and all are women.
Former GHMC Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi is now the new vice-chairperson of the Telangana Planning Board. Nerella Sharada has been appointed as Chairperson of the Telangana Commission for Women and G Sudha Rani will now head the Kakatiya Urban Development Authority (KUDA).
All posts were previously held by the Reddy community.
After days of speculation, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy removed Konda Surekha from the Council of Ministers, following a disciplinary row over Surekha’s daughter, Konda Susmitha Patel’s remarks against him.
Shortly after her dismissal, Konda Surekha wrote to the All India Congress Committee and senior leader Rahul Gandhi, alleging she was targeted on caste grounds. He accused Revanth of obstructing her decisions and thereby limiting her powers as a minister.
“I have increasingly felt politically and administratively marginalised. I found this deeply hurtful. It created a strong impression that even a minimum recognition and dignity due to me in my official capacity were being deliberately denied,” the letter read.
Konda Surekha controversy
The controversy with Konda Surekha started on August 19, when her daughter, Konda Susmita Patel, made remarks against CM Revanth at an event in Geesugonda.
Sushmita announced she would contest the upcoming elections from Parakala and would even run as an independent if the party high command denied her a ticket.
The disciplinary committee then issued a notice to Surekha directing her to submit a reply within three days. In her reply, Surekha said it is not proper to seek her explanation for the personal comments made by her daughter. She said holding her responsible for her daughter’s comments was against the principles of natural justice.
A large number of Congress MLAs took exception to the remarks and said Surekha cannot distance herself from the comments of her daughter.
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