The internal conflicts within the Telangana Congress have intensified significantly, following explosive allegations made by Konda Sushmitha, daughter of Endowment and Forest Minister Konda Surekha and former MLC Konda Muralidhar Rao. These fresh accusations, targeting other prominent party members, including Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, have plunged the party into a new wave of drama and uncertainty.
The immediate spark for this controversy was an attempted arrest at Minister Surekha’s residence in Hyderabad late on Wednesday, October 15. Police officers, operating in plain clothes, reportedly tried to apprehend N. Sumanth, who formerly served as the Minister’s Officer on Special Duty (OSD). Sumanth had recently been relieved from his position following allegations that he threatened an industrialist at gunpoint.
Observers believe Sumanth’s removal and the subsequent attempt to arrest him are deeply connected to the escalating rivalry between Minister Surekha and Revenue Minister Srinivas Reddy. The two leaders have reportedly clashed over the lucrative ₹71-crore contract for the Medaram Jatara works, with Minister Surekha previously complaining to the party high command about Srinivas Reddy’s alleged interference in her departmental affairs.
Upon discovering the plain-clothed officers, Ms. Sushmitha confronted them, vehemently questioning their unofficial presence at her family’s home. Despite their identification as police, she denied them entry and promptly initiated a live social media broadcast. During the live session, she publicly accused certain Congress leaders from the ‘Reddy community,’ alongside Dalit MLA Kariyam Srihari, of systematically targeting her family.
Reports indicate that shortly after the police arrived at the residence, Sumanth departed in a car accompanied by Minister Konda Surekha.
In her widely shared social media video, Ms. Sushmitha reiterated her claims that powerful figures within the Congress party were orchestrating a smear campaign against her family. She asserted that her parents were being intentionally targeted as part of a wider conspiracy. Furthermore, she highlighted a serious security concern, stating that her father’s personal gunman had been removed, questioning, “My father is facing threats to his life. How can they reduce his security?”
In response to the unfolding events, former MLC Muralidhar Rao, Minister Surekha’s husband, addressed reporters at his Hanamkonda residence on Thursday. He claimed to be unaware of the previous night’s events in Hyderabad, including the specifics surrounding Sumanth’s situation. While asserting his daughter Sushmitha’s right to voice her opinions, he emphasized that she holds no official position within the Congress party. He also stated that he personally harbored no issues with Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.