Telangana minister files complaint against MLA Kadiyam Srihari over ministry 'interference'
Synopsis
A public spat between a sitting minister and a defector-MLA is the last thing Telangana Congress needs. Konda Surekha's formal complaint against Kadiyam Srihari — a former Deputy CM who crossed over from BRS — exposes the fault line between elected Congress leaders and late-arriving defectors, and puts state chief Mahesh Kumar Goud in the uncomfortable position of arbitrating between two senior figures.
Key Takeaways
Konda Surekha , Telangana's Forest and Endowments Minister, filed a complaint on 9 July against MLA Kadiyam Srihari with state Congress chief Mahesh Kumar Goud .
The dispute centres on Srihari's alleged unauthorised review meeting on temple development, which falls under Surekha's Endowments portfolio.
Surekha had earlier written to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy seeking a disciplinary committee inquiry against the MLA.
Srihari , a former Deputy Chief Minister and one of 12 BRS defectors who joined Congress, denied any wrongdoing, saying he only met the Endowments Commissioner about five temples in his constituency.
Goud has promised to examine the matter and resolve it after consulting all parties; no timeline has been given.
Telangana's Forest and Endowments Minister Konda Surekha on Thursday, 9 July escalated an intra-party dispute by formally lodging a complaint against MLA Kadiyam Srihari with state Indian National Congress (INC) chief Mahesh Kumar Goud, alleging unauthorised interference in her ministry's affairs. The complaint marks the sharpest flashpoint yet in a simmering feud rooted in Warangal district politics.
What Triggered the Complaint
The rift surfaced after Srihari held a review meeting on temple development — a domain that falls under Surekha's Endowments portfolio. She contends the meeting was conducted without her authorisation and amounted to a breach of ministerial protocol. She had earlier written directly to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, seeking a disciplinary committee inquiry and formal action against the MLA.
What the Minister Said
Surekha reportedly expressed deep dissatisfaction with the state of affairs in Warangal and voiced anguish over feeling sidelined within the party. Her meeting with Goud was an attempt to escalate the matter beyond the Chief Minister's office. Goud assured her he would examine the issue in detail and resolve it after consulting all concerned parties.
Srihari's Rebuttal
Kadiyam Srihari, who represents the Station Ghanpur constituency, flatly rejected the allegations. A senior leader and former Deputy Chief Minister, Srihari is among the 12 MLAs of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) who defected to the ruling Congress. He maintained that he had only met the Endowments Commissioner to discuss issues related to five temples in his constituency — covering repair works and recruitment — and that this was well within the rights of an elected representative.
'MLAs and MLCs are free to meet Collectors or senior officials and submit representations on public issues,' he said, drawing a clear distinction: only ministers or those holding Cabinet rank are authorised to conduct official review meetings, while legislators can participate in such meetings but not convene them. He stated he had committed no mistake and saw no need to offer any explanation.
The Broader Fault Line
This is not an isolated personal dispute. It reflects a wider tension in Telangana's ruling Congress between ministers who joined the party through elections and legislators who arrived via defection from the BRS. Srihari accused Surekha of lacking awareness of established norms — a pointed remark that signals the depth of the friction. This comes amid Congress's ongoing effort to consolidate its hold over Telangana after its landmark victory over the BRS, making visible internal discord particularly sensitive for the party leadership.
What Happens Next
Goud has committed to a consultative resolution, but no timeline has been set. The dispute now sits with the state party president, and how he navigates it — given Srihari's seniority and Surekha's ministerial standing — will be a test of the Congress organisation's internal discipline in Telangana.
Point of View
And he knows it. Surekha's decision to go public twice — first to the CM, now to the state chief — suggests she feels her ministerial authority is being hollowed out and that internal channels are not working. Goud's promise of a 'consultative resolution' is the right instinct, but the longer this feud stays visible, the more it signals that the Congress high command's grip on Telangana is softer than the party's comfortable majority implies.
NationPress
9 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Telangana minister Konda Surekha complain against MLA Kadiyam Srihari?
Surekha filed the complaint alleging that Srihari conducted an unauthorised review meeting on temple development, which falls under her Endowments ministry portfolio. She contends this amounted to interference in her ministerial domain and a breach of protocol.
Who is Kadiyam Srihari and why is he significant in this dispute?
Kadiyam Srihari is the MLA from Station Ghanpur constituency and a former Deputy Chief Minister of Telangana. He is one of 12 BRS legislators who defected to the ruling Congress, making his seniority and political standing central to the tension with a sitting minister.
What action has been taken on Surekha's complaint so far?
State Congress chief Mahesh Kumar Goud met Surekha and assured her he would examine the matter in detail before resolving it through discussions with all concerned parties. No formal disciplinary action has been announced yet.
What is Srihari's defence against the allegations?
Srihari denied any wrongdoing, stating he only met the Endowments Commissioner to discuss repair works and recruitment at five temples in his constituency. He argued that elected representatives have every right to meet senior officials and submit representations on public issues.
How does this dispute affect Telangana Congress?
The public feud exposes internal friction between ministers and BRS defectors within the ruling Congress, at a time when the party is working to consolidate its hold over Telangana. It puts state chief Goud in the difficult position of mediating between two senior figures without alienating either.
