Listen to this article:

Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister Revanth Reddy has sacked Konda Surekha, the state forest and endowments minister, from his cabinet, ending days of controversy after her daughter Sushmita Patel publicly criticised Reddy for throwing cold water on her political ambitions.

A five-time MLA currently representing Warangal East, Surekha did not condemn her daughter’s outburst. Instead, she targeted Reddy. On Wednesday (September 2), Reddy reached Delhi to discuss disciplinary action against her with Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal. He sent in his recommendation sacking the minister to the governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Thursday afternoon. 

A late night press communique on Thursday, September 3, by the Lok Bhavan said the governor has dropped Surekha from the cabinet “with immediate effect” on the advice of CM Reddy.

He also issued an order rescinding the appointment of another senior Congress leader and former minister G. Chinna Reddy as vice-chairman of the State Planning Board – a rank equivalent to cabinet minister.

Time ripe for a cabinet expansion

Chinna Reddy, incidentally, was in the thick of a controversy over his remarks against Congress MLA of Wanaparthy T. Megha Reddy. Chinna Reddy is a former MLA of Wanaparthy. His position in the State Planning Board is being filled by former Hyderabad mayor G. Vijayalakshmi, who was serving as the chairperson of Telangana State Commission for Women. 

Surekha’s exit,........

© The Wire