Cabinet clashes force Congress high command to step in as governance falters in Telangana

Internal conflicts in the Telangana Congress government have intensified, with ministers clashing over caste issues, power struggles, and protocol disputes. The high command has stepped in to mediate even as governance suffers and public unrest grows over neglected issues

Hyderabad: Even before the Congress government completes two years in office, internal discord among ministers has laid bare the deeper undercurrents within the State Cabinet. From turf wars and protocol breaches to caste-based tensions and surveillance fears, the unfolding drama has raised serious concerns about the administration’s priorities.

The controversy began with BC Welfare Minister Ponnam Prabhakar’s alleged body-shaming remarks against SC Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar. This was followed by a caste-based confrontation between Labour Minister G Vivek Venkatswamy (Mala community) and Laxman Kumar (Madiga community), with the latter accusing Vivek of deliberate exclusion and public humiliation.

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Party insiders concede that Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu and Prabhakar are engaged in a power struggle for dominance in the erstwhile Karimnagar district. Meanwhile, revelations in July about the Chief Minister’s Office allegedly monitoring ministers’ movements and phone calls have caused unease, prompting some ministers to stop using personal phones.

The latest flashpoint involves Forest Minister Konda Surekha and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, who clashed over the handling of Medaram Jathara works. Surekha objected to tenders being allotted without her consent and was further angered by the abrupt termination of her OSD N Sumanth, following extortion complaints reportedly lodged by Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy.

With tensions escalating, the Congress high command has been forced to intervene. AICC in-charge Meenakshi Natarajan and TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud have taken on the task of mediating peace among the warring ministers. Over the past month, they have held separate meetings with Prabhakar, Laxman Kumar, and most recently with Konda Surekha, assuring them of amicable resolutions.

As these internal battles continue, governance appears to be slipping into the background. Farmers, unemployed youth, and government employees have taken to the streets demanding attention to pressing issues, while Cabinet ministers remain caught up in their own conflicts.