HYDERABAD: The ruling Congress has reportedly taken a serious view of the outburst of Konda Murali, husband of Endowments Minister Konda Surekha, against party MLAs in the erstwhile Warangal district.
According to Gandhi Bhavan sources, following a complaint lodged by the legislators, AICC Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan also “inquired” into Murali’s “intemperate” comments, which are suspected to have been made due to the existing hostility between the Konda family and other MLAs, especially Kadiyam Srihari and Revuri Prakash Reddy.
The latest incident is seen as a disconcerting symptom of a systemic malaise in the party. It now threatens to become even more serious, damaging the party’s interests in Warangal, which, in the present political context, is a bastion for the ruling party.
This is not the first instance of friction reported between the Konda family and the MLAs from the district. In the past, there were reports of heated exchanges between Surekha and Prakash Reddy.
According to sources, Prakash Reddy and Kadiyam Srihari as well as fellow legislators Naini Rajender Reddy and KR Nagaraju, complained to the leadership about the language used by Konda Murali.
Party to hold meeting of warring groups
It is learnt that Parakal MLA Prakash Reddy took strong objection to Murali announcing that his daughter would contest from the constituency in the next elections.
Sources indicated that the state leadership is likely to call a meeting with the quarrelling groups to defuse the crisis before it becomes unmanageable. Party leaders are also considering ways to de-escalate the conflicts and restore cohesion within the local leadership.
Speaking to TNIE, TPCC chief B Mahesh Kumar Goud confirmed receipt of complaints from multiple groups. He said that the party would conduct a thorough inquiry and take appropriate action.
On Murali’s “announcement” on fielding his daughter in Parakal in the next elections, Mahesh Goud stated that there was nothing wrong in expressing desire to contest elections. He, however, said one should keep in mind that the party follows a standard procedure for selecting its candidates.