HANAMKONDA: A political storm is brewing within the Congress in the erstwhile Warangal district following inflammatory remarks by Konda Muralidhar Rao, husband of Endowments Minister Konda Surekha, against party MLAs. The comments have deepened existing factional rifts, prompting a strong backlash from local leaders and threatening the party’s unity in a key stronghold.
The controversy erupted after Murali, a former MLC, made veiled accusations against Station Ghanpur MLA Kadiyam Srihari and Parakal legislator Revuri Prakash Reddy, alleging they betrayed their former parties — BRS and BJP respectively — by joining the Congress.
His remarks, delivered during Rahul Gandhi’s birthday celebrations on June 19, also targeted other MLAs and leaders, including KR Nagaraju (Wardhannapet), G Satyanarayana Rao (Bhupalpally), MLC Baswaraju Saraiah, Warangal District Congress president Errabelli Swarna and Kakatiya Urban Development Authority chairman E Venkataram Reddy.
In response, the aggrieved MLAs convened an emergency meeting at the residence of Warangal West MLA and Hanamkonda District Congress president Naini Rajender Reddy on Friday to address the “domination” of the Konda family in the district.
The MLAs, particularly Prakash Reddy and Srihari, expressed outrage over Murali’s claim that they were “traitors” to their previous parties. Murali’s provocative challenge that defectors like Srihari should resign and seek re-election further inflamed tensions.
Naini warns Murali
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Rajender Reddy issued a veiled warning to Murali, urging restraint. “If he has issues with any MLA, he is free to approach the high command or state leadership,” he said.
He accused the Konda couple of attempting to overshadow other leaders and using their backward classes identity to push their agenda, which he deemed inappropriate. He added that the Congress high command was closely monitoring the couple’s actions.
The MLAs’ ire was further fuelled by Murali’s announcement that his daughter, Sushmitha Patel, would contest the next Assembly election from Parakal, currently represented by Prakash Reddy.
Murali claimed that Prakash Reddy, a senior leader, had once “touched his feet” to secure election support, a remark that deeply offended the Parkal MLA. Several MLAs travelled to Hyderabad and lodged a formal complaint with TPCC president B Mahesh Kumar Goud.
They accused Murali of deliberately targeting party MLAs and the MLC to assert his dominance. The leaders demanded immediate intervention from the party high command to address Murali’s conduct, warning that his actions could undermine Congress’ cohesion in Warangal, where it won 10 of 12 seats in the 2023 Assembly polls.
As the TPCC is planning to appoint constituency-wise observers to monitor local dynamics, the MLAs urged the party to expedite this process. They also called for action against those who “cross party’s line.”
