HYDERABAD: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president B Mahesh Kumar Goud on Sunday said that the party high command is closely observing all political developments in the state.
“Everyone is on high command’s radar,” the state Congress chief added. His comments assume significance as they came a day after a series of meetings that state Congress leaders, including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, had with AICC general secretary KC Venugopal in New Delhi.
During an informal chat with reporters in the national capital, Mahesh Goud said that the “differences among ministers are now a closed chapter”.
Referring to a recent controversy involving Endowments Minister Konda Surekha, he clarified that her daughter Susmita’s comments were made “in a state of panic after seeing police presence at her residence” and attributed the issue to a “communication gap”.
He categorically denied allegations of caste-based discrimination. He also remarked that political leaders must remain humble irrespective of their rise in stature, saying, “The higher you grow, the more composed you must remain.”
“Even the walls have ears. Everyone should be cautious while making statements,” he cautioned.
Commenting on the ongoing exercise of appointing new District Congress Committee (DCC) chairpersons, he said that the party high command is inclined to hand over responsibilities to some MLAs and acknowledged that Irrigation & Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy’s wife Padmavathi has applied for the post in Suryapet district.
“In some places, it is better if MLAs take charge as DCC chiefs. These will not be treated as dual posts,” he said, adding that family members already active in the party are not barred from seeking organisational positions.
“There is a rule that one cannot hold two posts at a time. If someone is selected for another position, they must resign from the first,” he noted.
Expressing displeasure over the Centre’s lack of cooperation with the state, the TPCC chief alleged that Union Minister G Kishan Reddy has “become an obstacle” to the Hyderabad Metro Phase-II project.
“Kishan Reddy has failed to take responsibility. The BJP always plays politics in the name of religion and caste,” he said, questioning, “What has Kishan Reddy done for Secunderabad?”
His comments come ahead of the November 11 byelection for Jubilee Hills Assembly segment, which falls under Kishan Reddy’s Secunderabad Lok Sabha constituency.
Responding to a question on BRS president and former chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, he said: “We respect KCR as a statehood movement leader, but his governance went off track, leading the state towards bankruptcy.”
He also criticised Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter K Kavitha, stating that as a partner in the previous administration, “she should now reveal facts and explain why justice was not done to the Telangana martyrs”.
