Why Konda Surekha’s Delhi defiance couldn’t save her from Revanth’s axe | Hyderabad News

Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy removed minister Konda Surekha from his cabinet.

HYDERABAD: Cracking down on growing concerns over indiscipline within the Telangana Congress, chief minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday dropped endowments and forests and environment minister Konda Surekha from his cabinet and rescinded veteran Congress leader G Chinna Reddy’s appointment as vice-chairman of the Telangana Planning Board.Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla approved the chief minister’s recommendation to remove Surekha. “On the advice of the chief minister of Telangana, the governor of Telangana has dropped minister Konda Surekha from the council of ministers with immediate effect,” a Lok Bhavan release said.In a balancing move, Revanth simultaneously named three women to key positions: Gadwal Vijayalakshmi as Planning Board vice-chairperson, Nerella Sharada as chairperson of the Telangana State Commission for Women, and former Rajya Sabha MP G Sudha Rani as chairperson of the Kakatiya Urban Development Authority.

Surekha was one of only two women in Revanth’s cabinet, the other being panchayat raj and rural development minister D Anusuya, popularly known as Seethakka.Surekha’s removal came barely a fortnight after her daughter, Konda Susmita, criticised Revanth for stating that sitting Parkal MLA Revuri Prakash Reddy would be given the Congress ticket from the constituency in the next assembly election. A contender for the ticket herself, Susmita had said on Aug 19 that the CM did not have the authority to make such a decision and also levelled other allegations against him.While Surekha maintained that she could not be held responsible for her adult daughter’s comments, several Congress MLAs and MLCs demanded action against her.This was not the first time Surekha had found herself at the centre of a controversy. In October 2025, Telangana police arrived at her Hyderabad residence to arrest her former OSD, N Sumant, in connection with allegations of assault and extortion. Susmita had then allegedly prevented the police from making the arrest and accused the CM of politically targeting her mother.Surekha had also triggered a controversy in October 2024 after linking BRS leader K T Rama Rao to a film actress. She later apologised for her remarks.A close associate of former chief minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy, Surekha had served in his cabinet before quitting the Congress following his death in a helicopter crash in 2009. She later joined the YSR Congress and then the TRS, now BRS, before returning to the Congress.Chinna Reddy’s removal had a different backdrop. The four-time MLA from Wanaparthy faced disciplinary action after accusing the Congress leadership of favouring turncoats over long-time loyalists. He was also engaged in a running feud with sitting Wanaparthy MLA T Megha Reddy. Chinna Reddy had headed the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee’s disciplinary body before being appointed Planning Board vice-chairman.Sources told TOI that the Congress high command would have preferred Surekha to resign, but she refused to quit and travelled to Delhi on Wednesday to present her case before the party leadership.After meeting Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Surekha said she had explained her position and challenged the high command to take whatever action it deemed appropriate. She reiterated that her daughter was an adult and her remarks should not be linked to her.Revanth had also taken up the matter with AICC general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal in Delhi and sought action against Surekha. Venugopal’s refusal to meet Surekha on Wednesday had further fuelled speculation that disciplinary action was imminent.