HYDERABAD: The Congress government’s internal politics came into sharper view on Saturday, with a group of MLAs and government whips closing ranks behind Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and calling for disciplinary action against party leaders whose public remarks, they said, were undermining the government.
At a press conference at the CLP office in Hyderabad, Whips Vijaya Ramana Rao, Aadi Srinivas and Ramchandra Naik, along with Ramagundam MLA Raj Thakur, made it clear that criticism of the chief minister from within the party would not be taken lightly. Their message was less about one exchange and more about where the line was being drawn.
Vijaya Ramana Rao said Congress workers and Revanth had spent nearly a decade fighting what he described as the “dictatorial and authoritarian rule” of the previous BRS government before bringing Congress to power. He said the chief minister was working for nearly 18 hours a day to put the debt-ridden state back on track.
The immediate provocation was the remarks made by Konda Sushmita Patel, daughter of Minister Konda Surekha, against Revanth and his brothers. Vijaya Ramana Rao said Surekha had not adequately responded to or condemned her daughter’s comments and demanded an unconditional apology from both. “Apologising is the minimum courtesy expected from them,” he said.
Ramchandra Naik defended Revanth’s recent remarks at Parkal about sitting MLA Revuri Prakash Reddy, saying they were intended to motivate party workers. “What was wrong in what the chief minister said?” he asked, while questioning Sushmita’s political credentials and her language against the chief minister.
He also suggested that Surekha should consider resigning on moral grounds and introspect over her political conduct.
Aadi Srinivas took the broader view, saying the 66-member Congress legislature party had collectively chosen Revanth Reddy as its leader, with Rahul Gandhi and the chief minister leading the party’s political effort in the state.
He said criticism from senior leaders, including Chinna Reddy, Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy and Surekha, would not be tolerated.
He also questioned Chinna Reddy’s remarks against Wanaparthy MLA Tudi Megha Reddy, pointing out that, as Planning Board vice-chairman, he participates in Cabinet meetings and should therefore exercise greater responsibility.
Raj Thakur said Surekha’s conduct was sending the wrong message to Congress workers and alleged that such exchanges were weakening the party and government at a time when they should be confronting the Opposition.
