TPCC slams minister Ponguleti for announcing local polls without consultation, demands restraint

Hyderabad: The Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) has expressed serious displeasure over Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy’s public statement regarding local body elections. TPCC president Mahesh Kumar Goud took strong objection to the minister’s comments on Monday.

On Sunday, in Palair constituency in Khammam, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said that the State government is likely to issue a notification for local body elections by the end of June. He also said that the issue will be taken up for discussion in the next Cabinet meeting.

Mahesh Kumar Goud said, “Speaking to the media in advance on sensitive legal matters is not right. The issue is linked to reservations, which are currently under the jurisdiction of the court. Such issues must be discussed first in the Cabinet before sharing them publicly.”

‘Speak within portfolio limits’

In a strong message to all ministers, Goud said, “Ministers must speak only within their portfolio limits. They should confine themselves to statements regarding their departments only.”

He stressed the need for caution while speaking on legal or court-bound issues, urging ministers to exercise restraint and responsibility.

P Srinivas Reddy reveals details

In his meeting in Khammam, Reddy had said, “The elections would be conducted in phases, starting with mandal parishad and zilla parishad and followed by panchayat polls.”

Due to the constant internal rift between the local leaders, Reddy urged everyone at the village and mandal levels to resolve their differences and work effectively on public issues. He urged the workers to work for the larger interest of the party.

Reddy said, “The selection of leaders will be based on reservation criteria and also their chances of winning. Apart from merit, winning is also a key factor in the finalisation of candidates.”

‘Coordination between government and party is essential’

The TPCC president warned that in the future, no minister should make public announcements on sensitive matters without first consulting the party leadership.

He said effective coordination between the government and the party is essential, and all ministers must act accordingly.

Ministers asked to work more on the grassroots level rather than make statements.

This is the first time that Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy has been publicly warned. The other Congress minister, who is time and again asked to restrain from making such public statements, is Konda Surekha, minister for environment and forests. Surekha has often spoken things which have become a tool for the Opposition, Bharat Rashtra Samithi, to defame the government.

According to sources, “There are strict orders given to ministers not to speak much but work on the ground. The Delhi Congress team has been time and again asking the ministers to work rather than indulging in talks.”