Konda Surekha withdraws remarks against KTR, expresses regret

Former Minister Konda Surekha withdrew her October 2024 remarks against BRS working president KT Rama Rao and expressed regret in a post on X. Her statement, following a defamation suit, triggered speculation about her political intentions among social media users.

Hyderabad: Taking many by surprise, former Endowments Minister Konda Surekha on Thursday adopted an apologetic tone and withdrew her comments made against BRS working president KT Rama Rao in October 2024.

The former Minister had held Rama Rao responsible for the divorce between actor A Naga Chaitanya and actress Samantha. Actor and Naga Chaitanya’s father, Nagarjuna, had filed a defamation suit against the former Minister, prompting her to withdraw her comments. The remarks had triggered a political controversy in the State.

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It may be recalled that the former Minister was dropped from the State Cabinet earlier this year after her daughter, Konda Sushmitha, alleged that Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy was involved in large-scale irregularities and corruption.

Amid these developments, the former Minister took to X and adopted an apologetic tone. She said she wanted to clarify her position regarding the personal comments she had made against BRS working president KT Rama Rao in the past.

“In the context of the political situation at that time, while criticizing the opposition, I spoke in that manner, but it was not intentional. I should not have made those unsubstantiated remarks that I did back then,” Konda Surekha said on X.

“I have absolutely no intention of hurting KT Rama Rao or his family members, nor any malicious intent to damage their reputation. If my remarks have hurt them or their family members, I regret that and hereby withdraw those remarks,” she added.

However, the former Minister’s remarks triggered speculation in political circles and on social media. While a few welcomed her gesture, others observed that it could be a ploy to return to the BRS.

An X user, Varadasa Kiran, asked, “Why are you apologising now? Do you want to join the BRS again?”

A few others suggested that being influenced by the Chief Minister and making baseless and derogatory remarks could land leaders in trouble.