Congress wanted “sorry”; Surekha kept the ministerial spine
Konda Muralidhar Rao says Konda Surekha was removed for refusing to submit an apology. Congress’s recorded explanation is narrower: that she failed to condemn her daughter’s remarks against Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy.
The paperwork behind Konda Surekha’s dismissal has not been made public.
Konda Surekha’s cabinet dismissal now comes with two explanations, both from the Congress camp and neither helped by the paperwork staying offstage.
Her husband, former MLC Konda Muralidhar Rao, says she was removed because she refused to write “sorry” on paper after her daughter Konda Sushmita’s remarks about Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. He said Surekha replied that the post could stay or go. The claim is his; no apology demand, letter or recording has been published. (NT News)
The Congress explanation, given by disciplinary committee chair Mallu Ravi, is that the AICC took the final decision because Surekha did not condemn Sushmita’s remarks. Reports also say the Telangana Pradesh Congress disciplinary panel issued her a show-cause notice on August 20, after the remarks at a Warangal meeting on August 19. (Kalam Daily; Hindustan Times)
Surekha says she was removed without an opportunity to explain. The notice, her reply, the AICC decision and the Chief Minister’s communication to the Governor have not been published in the material examined. Congress has supplied a version; it has not supplied the file. The apology may be the story. At present, it is still the family’s allegation, while the Congress government’s paperwork remains impressively unavailable.