Former minister and senior Congress leader of Warangal district Konda Surekha here on Tuesday said she and her husband Konda Murali have joined the Telangana Rashtra Samithi as they realized the reconstruction of Telangana State would be possible through K. Chandrasekhara Rao alone.
Speaking to the media after joining the TRS in the presence of KCR, Surekha said reconstruction of Telangana State would be possible only through the TRS president. Eulogising KCR for spearheading Telangana agitation successfully leading to formation of separate State, Surekha said many political leaders changed parties frequently for greener pastures, but they did not do so for the sake of posts. In fact, we quit posts and changed parties for value-based politics and high ideals, she said.
Surekha said the TRS leader relentlessly fought for welfare and justice to poor and downtrodden sections in the society. She explained that she and her husband Murali had decided to join the TRS unconditionally as they were convinced that KCR could alone transform the region into “Bangaru Telangana”.
Responding to a question, Surekha asked mediapersons whether they would work for only one channel continuously. She said she might have spoken against TRS leaders when she was in Congress, but now they have realized that reconstruction of Telangana was possible with KCR and decided to work for the party as loyal soldiers. Stating that they had misunderstood KCR, Surekha said the infamous Manukota incident was not intentional. She also explained that they extended support to YSRCP president Jaganmohan Reddy as his party had passed a resolution in favour of Telangana State in its plenary.
Speaking on the occasion, TRS leader K Taraka Ramarao said Konda Surekha and her husband have joined the party with an intention to help develop the region. Stating that TRS got strengthened further in Warangal district with the entry of Konda couple, KTR said they would divert their attention towards development of the region unitedly.
Meanwhile, Warangal East constituency TRS incharge Vidyasagar Rao held a meeting with his followers in the wake of Konda couple joining the party. In the meeting, one the TRS activists reportedly poured kerosene on self and attempted self-immolation demanding that the TRS high priests deny party tickets to the new entrants.
It may be mentioned here that Surekha and her husband Murali, a former legislator, had quit the YSR Congress party last year after it opposed formation of separate Telangana State and rejoined the Congress, which they left in 2009. However, as the Congress reportedly refused to field Surekha from an Assembly constituency in Warangal district, they joined TRS. The couple took the decision after meeting TRS chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao at the latter’s residence on Tuesday. The TRS has reportedly promised party ticket from Warangal East Assembly constituency and assured that her husband would be nominated to the Legislative Council.
Surekha had resigned from the cabinet in October 2009 after Congress leadership refused to make Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy chief minister following the death of Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash. She had also quit Congress to join YSR Congress floated by Jaganmohan Reddy in 2010. (NSS)