HANAMKONDA: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy’s visit to Hanamkonda on Wednesday to console Narsampet MLA Donthi Madhav Reddy on his mother’s demise sparked fresh buzz in Congress circles over the conspicuous absence of Endowments Minister Konda Surekha.
Revanth, accompanied by ministers Seethakka, Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Adluri Laxman Kumar and MPs Balram Naik and Kadiyam Kavya, attended the 10th-day ceremony of Madhav Reddy’s mother, Kantamma, at Waddepally. Surekha, who hails from the same district, stayed away from the programme, fuelling talk of widening rifts within the local leadership.
Sources said her strained ties with the revenue minister have been evident since the recent review meeting on Medaram jatara works. Differences reportedly deepened over tender allocations in the Endowments department.
Adding to the unease, the state government last week terminated the services of her OSD, N Sumanth, who faces allegations related to transfers and postings in the department. The move is seen by some as an indication of diminishing clout within the cabinet.
Surekha has in recent weeks courted controversy with remarks about fellow Congress legislators, including Warangal West MLA Naini Rajender Reddy and Parkal MLA Revuri Prakash Reddy.
Speaking to reporters recently, she alleged that “a Reddy community group” was lobbying against her and claimed some media reports had “dragged in actor Akkineni Nagarjuna without my consent”.
