Warangal Congress rift widens as Konda Surekha hits back at Kadiyam Srihari

At an informal chat with mediapersons here on Friday, Konda Surekha charged that Kadiyam Srihari was unable to stomach her elevation to the post of Minister.

Hyderabad: Differences of opinion among the Congress leaders continue to flare up, with an ongoing verbal free-for-all. Now the forest minister Konda Surekha has continued her verbal diatribe against the Station Ghanpur MLA Kadiyam Srihari, accusing him of launching a campaign that she would be dropped from the State Cabinet. Her comments came just a day after former MLC and her husband Konda Murali slammed the Station Ghanpur MLA on Thursday.

At an informal chat with mediapersons here on Friday, Konda Surekha charged that Kadiyam Srihari was unable to stomach her elevation to the post of Minister.

---

“He has been deliberately misleading Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy (Warangal In-charge Minister),” the Minister alleged. She added that since Kadiyam Srihari had served as a Minister in the past, it was unbecoming of him to defame a female Minister.

“He wants to continue his tactics which he adopted in Telugu Desam Party now in the Congress too but that would be a futile exercise,” Konda Surekha asserted.

Bonam offering at Bhadrakali temple temporarily suspended

The Endowments Minister said the decision to offer Bonams at the popular Bhadrakali Temple, Warangal has been temporarily suspended, considering the sentiments of devotees. The decision to offer Bonams at the temple had triggered controversy. Even Congress MLAs, including Warangal West MLA Nayini Rajender Reddy had raised objections over the decision, citing it would pave way for new practices.

“A few people with vested interests tried to politicise the issue,” Surekha said. “They misled devotees by falsely claiming that Bonams would be offered with meat, which goes against the traditional practices.”

Taking these factors into account, the Minister announced the withdrawal of the plan to offer Bonams on June 22.

“Based on the suggestions of priests and elected public representatives’ recommendations, Bonalu festivities will be held at the temple at an appropriate time,” Konda Surekha affirmed.