Even a person sentenced to death is given a last chance to speak: Konda Surekha..

Konda Surekha has reacted to her dismissal as the Endowments Minister. She expressed her anguish over what she described as her unfair removal from the post. She said that even a person sentenced to death is given a final opportunity to speak, but she was punished without being given any such chance. Surekha directly questioned the Congress leaders over the comments made by her daughter, Konda Sushmita Patel, asking what her daughter’s remarks had to do with her. She said that, instead of dismissing her, the party should have sought an explanation from her and taken action if necessary. Konda Surekha said that if she had genuinely committed a mistake, she would not have objected to being dismissed. On the occasion, Minister Konda Surekha said:

The ministerial post is merely an ornament for me. It is painful to be removed without being given any reason. In the past, I myself resigned from the ministerial post. At present, the ministers are not happy. They should say this with their hands on their hearts. All the ministers should come out and speak. I do not know whom to approach if I want to get any work done. I want the six guarantees to be implemented. I did not make any comments against the party or the government. Mallu Ravi was also a person who once criticised the Congress party. Jaipal Reddy criticised Indira Gandhi. Rosaiah also criticised Indira Gandhi. Those who made allegations against Chief Minister Revanth Reddy were also given positions and honoured. We came up without anyone’s support. They took my husband in a car and drove him all over Warangal. Those who once asked us to campaign with them are now also criticising us. Even their wives will not vote for the MLC in my constituency.

The AICC has no intention of removing me. I was dismissed through blackmail politics. Vem, Ponguleti, Tirupati Reddy and Kondal Reddy joined together and harassed me. The person who collected the money filed a case against my former OSD, Sumanth. A person named Kiran collected money by using Sumanth’s name. There is no history of their government troubling its own people. I request the government to stop harassing Sumanth. There are certain things that the Congress government needs to correct and change. Many changes need to be made for the government to return to power. It is not right to act like a monopoly. It is not right for one person to make all decisions simply because he is the Chief Minister. There should be discussion when decisions are made.

I will remain an MLA and serve the people of my constituency. I believe I will face difficulties within the party. If I condemn my daughter’s comments, it would amount to insulting her. I do not consider it an insult to be removed as a minister. If I had made a mistake, I would have accepted the consequences. It is the party’s mistake to dismiss me without giving me an opportunity to explain. “There is a difference between Revanth Reddy and Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy,” she said.