Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP DK Aruna on Friday said there had been no discussions about inviting former Telangana minister Konda Surekha to join the BJP following her dismissal from the state Cabinet.
“Konda Surekha is a senior woman leader. I believe that internal political differences within the Congress led to her dismissal from the Cabinet,” Aruna said.
“There are several groups and differences in politics, and we see such issues in the Congress every day,” she said.
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Aruna said she and Surekha had worked together as ministers in 2009.
“Konda Surekha is a senior leader. In 2009, she and I worked together as ministers. We were happy to see a fellow woman leader serving Telangana as a minister. It is genuinely painful to see her being dismissed,” Aruna said.
Aruna also questioned the decision in the context of the Congress’ claims about its work for backward classes.
“The Congress party and the Chief Minister claim that they have done a lot for BCs. I am a BC woman myself. Taking action against Surekha because her daughter said something is not right and cannot be justified,” she said.
Aruna said reaching a senior political position after facing the challenges and hardships of politics was a significant achievement for a woman.
“For a woman to face all the challenges and hardships in politics and reach this position is a great achievement. Her dismissal from the Cabinet is not justified,” she said.
However, Aruna clarified that the BJP had not discussed inviting Surekha to join the party.
“So far, there have been no discussions about inviting her to join the BJP,” she said.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Thursday decided to drop his Cabinet colleague Konda Surekha from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect, amid a row over remarks made against him and others by the woman leader’s daughter.
The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said in a release that it had made a recommendation to this effect to Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla.
Surekha, who served as the state Forest and Endowments Minister, had come under criticism following the remarks made by her daughter against the chief minister and other party leaders. The remarks drew sharp responses from ruling party MLAs and functionaries.
Along with dismissing Surekha, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy also rescinded the appointment of G Chinna Reddy as Vice Chairman of the State Planning Board with immediate effect.
The developments followed meetings in Delhi involving Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka and state Congress president B Mahesh Kumar Goud with AICC leaders, including party president Mallikarjun Kharge and KC Venugopal, over the last few days.
The disciplinary committee of the Congress’ state unit had earlier recommended that the party leadership take tough action against Surekha and Chinna Reddy.
Surekha had also met Kharge and AICC in-charge of party affairs Meenakshi Natarajan in the national capital and presented her version of the matter.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Surekha said she had urged the party leadership to allow her to continue in the Cabinet. She asserted that she had been performing well as a minister and faced no allegations of corruption.
Several Congress MLAs had demanded disciplinary action against Surekha for not condemning her daughter’s remarks against the chief minister and others. Surekha said none of the MLAs had spoken voluntarily and alleged that “somebody” was behind them.
When asked who was behind the MLAs, Surekha declined to name anyone, saying that doing so would lead to a controversy.
She also sought disciplinary action against the MLAs who had spoken against her.
Surekha questioned the disciplinary committee’s decision to issue a notice to her.
She also said she had sent emails to senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
When asked whether she supported her daughter’s comments, Surekha said her daughter was independent and that she should not be held responsible for the comments.
Besides Surekha, the state Congress disciplinary committee had also recommended action against Chinna Reddy after he criticised Congress MLA Tudi Meghareddy.
After the government rescinded Chinna Reddy’s appointment as Vice Chairman of the State Planning Board, it appointed state Women’s Commission Chairperson Gadwal Vijayalakshmi as the new Vice Chairperson of the Planning Board.
Congress leader Nerella Sharada is the Chairperson of the Women’s Commission.
In another appointment, the government made former MP G Sudha Rani the Chairperson of the Kakatiya Urban Development Board (KUDA) of Warangal.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
