Surekha stays put, seeks 2028 ticket

Former Telangana minister Konda Surekha says she will remain in the Congress and seek re-election from Warangal East in the 2028 Telangana Assembly election, closing — for now — the speculation over a party switch.

Speaking at a supporters’ meeting in Warangal on September 13, Surekha said she would “definitely contest on behalf of Congress” and was confident of winning, returning to power and becoming a minister again. She also said she had received calls telling her not to join another party. That is her account; no named Congress leader or official party statement has publicly confirmed it.

The Election Commission’s 2023 results record lists Surekha as the Congress winner from Warangal East with 67,757 votes. Her claim to the 2028 ticket remains a claim, not a Congress announcement. On September 4, she had been reported as saying she would first consult leaders and cadre before deciding whether to continue in the party. Congress has not publicly explained the apparent change in position. The party has not yet issued a ticket for an election three years away. It is already being auditioned.