Telangana Congress ministers clash as Ponnam Prabhakar's 'Foolish' comment goes Viral

Hyderabad: A political controversy erupted over derogatory and caste-insinuating remarks allegedly made by Minister Ponnam Prabhakar against Minister Adluri Laxman during the Jubilee Hills by-election campaign.

The incident has stirred a major debate within the Telangana Congress and attracted widespread attention on social media.

The controversial incident

On Sunday, three ministers—Ponnam Prabhakar, Adluri Laxman, and Vivek Venkata Swamy—were scheduled for a joint media interaction.

During the event, Ponnam was caught on a live microphone whispering to Minister Vivek: “We know the value of time and life. But what does he, a foolish person, know?”

The remark, widely interpreted as a dig at Minister Adluri Laxman, went viral on social media, leading to a public backlash.

Support for Adluri, Calls for apology

Following the viral video, several political leaders have expressed support for Minister Adluri Laxman. On Tuesday, they demanded a public apology from Ponnam Prabhakar. Adluri himself accused Ponnam of insulting his community and questioned the latter’s conduct.

“He has humiliated my entire community. Is it my fault that I was born in this community and became a minister? Ponnam must apologize publicly,” Adluri said. He also warned that if Ponnam failed to acknowledge his mistake, Ponnam would be responsible for the consequences.

PCC steps in to contain situation

To prevent the episode from escalating ahead of local elections, Telangana PCC Chief Mahesh Kumar Goud intervened. Both ministers reportedly spoke to him over the phone, and the party leadership advised them to exercise restraint.

Separately, a group of Dalit MLAs met with TPCC President Mahesh Kumar Goud at the MLA Quarters to discuss the alleged insult to Minister Laxman. The MLAs, including Kavvampally Satyanarayana, Vemula Veeresham, Samuel, Laxmikanth, and Kale Yadiah, raised the issue of the alleged slight.

In response, Goud informed them that he had already spoken with both ministers and believed the issue was resolved. He elaborated that he plans to call another meeting with the two ministers tomorrow to address the matter fully and ensure the situation remains settled.

In his public statement, Minister Ponnam clarified that he did not intend to target Adluri Laxman personally. He said his words were misinterpreted and distorted by others. “I did not direct my remarks at Adluri Laxman. Someone has twisted my words,” he stated.

Political implications

The episode highlights growing tensions among Telangana Congress ministers during a critical election period. While party leadership has acted swiftly to mediate, observers say the viral video could have lingering effects on public perception.

Adluri has indicated he plans to escalate the matter to senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Mallikarjun Kharge, to ensure the issue is addressed at the top level.