Cong spreading canards against Jagan to scare minorities: Surekha

Former minister and strong supporter of the Ysr Congress Party, Konda Surekha on Wednesday said that the Congress was trying to scare minorities away from Kadapa Lok Sabha candidate YS Jaganmohan Reddy by taking the support of baseless conspiracy theories.

Talking to media persons at Assembly Media Point, Ms Surekha lashed out at Pradesh Congress Committee president D Srinivas for putting forth ‘conspiracy theories’ that Mr Jaganmohan Reddy will align with the Bharatiya Janata Party if he wins the by-elections.

“There is no secret pact between the BJP and Mr Jaganmohan Reddy to come to power in the state through the backdoor,” she said. “The allegations are baseless and aimed at trying to scare away the minorities who support Mr Jaganmohan Reddy in large numbers,” the former minister continued.

Ms Surekha added that the Congress was resorting to such ‘devious and vile’ tactics since it is unable to gain the upper hand on the political arena and is convinced that its candidates will be trounced in the by-elections.

“The people will never believe such a malicious campaign and cast their votes in favour of the Ysr Congress Party candidates,” she asserted.

The loss would leave the Congress governments at both the state and Centre facing political uncertainty, the former minister predicted.

Reacting to reports that the Congress Legislature Party will suspend those MLAs who are supporting Mr Jaganmohan Reddy, Ms Surekha challenged the High Command to initiate action against them if it has any guts. “These are mere threats. The High Command lacks guts and is hoping to scare the MLAs to come back to the party,” she said.

“I will give the list of MLAs to initiate action to the High Command. It can initiate actions against them if it really has the will,” the former minister stated.

She further said that the Congress betrayed its own leaders by proposing to merge the Praja Rajyam Party into it and also make PRP president K Chiranjeevi a party member. “Mr Chiranjeevi has long been a vocal critic of the High Command and the party itself, but the party has ‘shamelessly’ agreed to join hands with him,” Ms Surekha stated.

“If the Congress MLAs have any sense and loyalty, they should resign and recontest, this time without using the name and photograph of former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy,” she challenged.

The former minister also lashed out at the state government for reducing security to her husband Konda Murali from 2+2 to 1+1. “Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the state government should be held responsible if anything happens to his life,” she said.

Ms Surekha pointed out that the government had provided security to Mr Konda Murali as he is a resident of Warangal district, which is has a high presence of Naxals. “The elected representatives are under the Naxal threat,” she reminded.

The government has provided 4+4 security and a bulletproof vehicle to TDP leader E Dayakar Rao in Warangal while at the same time the state government reduced Mr Murali’s security on the basis of a letter by the District Superintendent of Police that the area was not under Naxal influence. “Why the disparity in providing security to two leaders?, she questioned.

The former minister stated that she would approach the High Court and seek justice on the providing of security.

Ms Surekha also demanded that the GO 177 be withdrawn and urged the Ministers from Telangana region to boycott the Cabinet meetings until this is done.