HYDERABAD: What began as a fight over a Congress ticket in Parkal has now snowballed into a much larger political confrontation in Telangana, eventually contributing to the removal of minister Konda Surekha from chief minister A Revanth Reddy’s Cabinet.At the centre of the controversy is Surekha’s daughter, Konda Sushmitha, who publicly challenged Revanth Reddy’s decision to back sitting Parkal MLA Revuri Prakash Reddy for the next assembly election.As per an ANI report, Sushmitha has been seeking a political role for herself in Parkal and had been projected by the Konda family as a prospective Congress candidate from the constituency. However, during a recent programme in Parkal, Revanth publicly backed Revuri Prakash Reddy and appealed to voters to support him again in the next election.According to ANI, the remarks angered the Konda camp, with Sushmitha subsequently questioning the chief minister’s position and saying she was prepared to contest from Parkal even as an independent candidate if she was denied the Congress ticket.She also questioned the move to project a candidate for the next election well in advance and raised concerns over the representation of Backward Classes in the Congress, alleging that BC leaders were being sidelined.From Parkal ticket to Congress disciplinary rowThe dispute over Parkal soon moved beyond an internal disagreement over a possible election ticket.Senior Congress leaders objected to the manner in which Sushmitha publicly aired her differences with the chief minister, bringing the issue into the party’s disciplinary mechanism. The Congress in-charge, Meenakshi Natarajan, also sought a report on the episode, according to ANI.The controversy has once again exposed the political differences between the Konda family and the Revanth Reddy camp, which had surfaced publicly last year as well.In October 2025, Sushmitha had accused Revanth Reddy and other senior Congress leaders of targeting her family after police visited Konda Surekha’s Jubilee Hills residence in connection with her former Officer on Special Duty, N Sumanth.Sumanth had been removed from his position amid allegations of corruption and extortion.Sushmitha had confronted the police and subsequently alleged that the action against Sumanth was part of a conspiracy against her family.Sumanth case adds another layerThe controversy surrounding Sushmitha’s latest confrontation with the chief minister also comes against the backdrop of a separate case involving Sumanth.According to a PTI report, a case was registered on August 20 against Sumanth and his associates for allegedly assaulting a real estate businessman.The case was initially registered as a ‘Zero FIR’ under Section 109 (attempt to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at Medipally police station and was later transferred to Jubilee Hills Police Station on jurisdictional grounds, PTI had reported, citing police.The complainant alleged that Sumanth and his associates beat him with sticks and iron rods near Jubilee Hills checkpost on July 30, causing a fracture to his left hand.According to the complaint, Sumanth had questioned the realtor over allegedly collecting money using his name. When the complainant denied doing so, he was allegedly assaulted by Sumanth and his associates, PTI reported.Earlier clash over Medaram worksThe October 2025 controversy involving Sushmitha had also been linked to a dispute over works for the Medaram Jathara.As per an ANI report, Sushmitha had accused Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy of interfering in a tender process involving works valued at around Rs 71 crore and alleged that the project was subsequently shifted from Surekha’s department.Those were allegations made during the political dispute and were not established as wrongdoing.The confrontation eventually reached the Congress high command, with the party seeking to address the growing differences within its Telangana unit. Surekha and her husband, Konda Murali, later met Revanth Reddy amid the dispute.Why the latest row mattersThe present dispute, however, is more directly tied to Parkal and the question of who will represent the Congress from the constituency in the next election.The Konda family has been seeking space for Sushmitha in Parkal, while Revanth Reddy has publicly thrown his weight behind Revuri Prakash Reddy.Sushmitha’s decision to challenge that position brought the differences within the Warangal Congress into the open once again.The issue then widened into a question of party discipline, with the manner and forum in which the disagreement was aired becoming as important as the original dispute over the ticket.Surekha subsequently came under pressure after the party’s disciplinary process was activated over the controversy involving her daughter. She had maintained that Sushmitha was an adult and that her political views were personal.Even after her removal from the Cabinet, Surekha questioned why she should be held responsible for her daughter’s remarks and why she had not been consulted before the decision was taken.She also questioned why action had not been taken against other Congress leaders who had made controversial remarks, and described her removal as unfair and appearing to be an act of vendetta.(With agency inputs)
