Deepening rift in the Telangana Congress

In less than 40 days, the Congress government will mark two years in power in Telangana. However, the run-up to the event has been marred by controversies involving Cabinet Ministers, causing embarrassment to the party and the government.

The two latest episodes of outbursts by Cabinet Ministers have not only put the government in the dock, but forced senior Congress leaders to intervene. The Deputy Chief Minister, Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, the All India Congress Committee in charge of Telangana, Meenakshi Natarajan, and the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president, B. Mahesh Kumar Goud, all stepped in to diffuse the situation.

First, Forest Minister Konda Surekha triggered a political storm when she accused Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy of trying to favour his aides in the tenders for the ₹71 crore Samakka Sarakka tribal fair, which attracts over 2 crore devotees. Mr. Reddy brushed aside the charges, but the accusation gave the Opposition ammunition to target the government. The government removed N. Sumanth, the Officer on Special Duty to the Forest Minister, for professional misconduct. When Task Force personnel arrived at the Minister’s residence to take Mr. Sumanth into custody, there was high drama.

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Amid this, Ms. Konda Surekha’s daughter made certain remarks against Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and other Congress leaders, which did not go down well in party circles. The Deputy Chief Minister and the TPCC chief had to step in to de-escalate the conflict. Ms. Konda Surekha skipped a Cabinet meeting as a form of protest amid the internal rift, triggering speculation about her next move.

Even before the dust settled over this episode, the application by senior IAS officer, S.A.M. Rizvi, seeking voluntary retirement from service, caught the government off guard. Mr. Rizvi, known as an upright officer, is said to have rubbed the Excise Minister Jupally Krishna Rao the wrong way over the affairs in the Excise and Prohibition Department. In response to his plea, the Excise Minister wrote a letter to the Chief Secretary demanding that the application be put on hold until an inquiry into the officers’ tenure in the department was completed. Finally, as a damage control measure, the Excise Minister addressed a press conference to clear the air on the issue.

The Congress government has, by and large, managed to deflect criticism by the BJP and the BRS on “unkept promises”. However, internal bickering remains a problem. A recent controversial remark made by Transport Minister Ponnam Prabhakar about Social Welfare Minister Adluri Laxman Kumar took on a significant caste dimension. Mr. Adluri Lakshman, a Dalit Minister, took exception to a word used by Mr. Prabhakar. Scheduled Caste organisations rallied behind him, forcing the TPCC chief to pacify the aggrieved Minister. The Labour Minister, Vivek Venkataswamy, has said he is being targeted because of his caste, while the Sports and Youth Affairs Minister, Vakiti Srihari, has been sulking publicly about his portfolio. All this has added to the party’s woes.

Also Read | Ponnam Prabhakar apologises to Adluri Laxman Kumar, says issue resolved

In the 16-member State Cabinet, including the Chief Minister, against a full strength of 18, it appears that senior Ministers have been charting an independent path with minimal interference from Mr. Revanth Reddy. Former cricketer Md Azharuddin was inducted into the Cabinet in an apparent bid to woo the minorities. The party leadership says the AICC leadership had clearly said that senior Ministers should be given a free hand.

The Opposition is struggling — the BRS faces rebellion from K. Chandrashekar Rao’s daughter Kavitha, while the BJP grapples with internal groupism — but they have now found reason to target the Congress. Sensing that things could go out of hand if the Ministers are not disciplined, the Chief Minister and the party’s Central leadership sent a strong warning during the latest round of meetings with senior leaders in New Delhi. What is surprising is that Mr. Revanth Reddy, usually vocal, appears to be taking a softer approach in handling the infighting. It seems he is biding his time, not wanting to confront another situation similar to the current turmoil in Karnataka. The onus lies on the Central leadership and Mr. Revanth Reddy to send out a strong message against the erring leaders. Else, the controversies give the impression that Mr. Revanth Reddy has lost control over the party’s affairs.