The decision to introduce Bangaru Bonalu, a ritual involving offerings to the deity akin to practices at Hyderabad’s Lal Darwaza temple, stirred a controversy when rumours spread that animal sacrifices, specifically goats, are planned.
Published Jun 21, 2025 | 2:31 PM ⚊ Updated Jun 21, 2025 | 2:31 PM
The decision to introduce Bangaru Bonalu at the Bhadrakali Temple, stirred a controversy when rumours spread that animal sacrifices, specifically of goats, were planned. (Warangalite/Creative Commons)
Synopsis: A power struggle within the Congress in Warangal has forced the government to postpone the Bangaru Bonalu ritual at the Bhadrakali Temple. It is suspected that the powerful Konda couple wants to field their daughter in politics, and hence trying to overshadow other leaders.
Tensions within the Congress party in the Warangal district have escalated into a public feud, exposing deep-seated rivalries between Endowments Minister Konda Surekha’s family and other Congress MLAs.
The latest flashpoint is a government order (GO) issued by the Endowments Department to celebrate Bangaru Bonalu at the Bhadrakali Temple in Warangal on Sunday, 22 June. The event, a first for the temple during the month of Ashadam, was postponed amid a political storm, highlighting factionalism that threatens to undermine the party’s unity in Telangana.
The decision to introduce Bangaru Bonalu, a ritual involving offerings to the deity akin to practices at Hyderabad’s Lal Darwaza temple, stirred a controversy when rumours spread that animal sacrifices, specifically of goats, were planned.
Congress MLAs opposed to Surekha accused her of tampering with the temple’s historic sanctity by introducing new traditions. Warangal West MLA Nayini Rajender Reddy questioned the move, stating, “Offering bonam to Bhadrakali is not part of established tradition. If anything untoward happens, who will take responsibility?”
Surekha denied any plans for animal sacrifices, asserting that the bonam offering adhered to agama shastra (temple rituals). “Whose property is the Bhadrakali temple? It’s not proper for one to claim ownership and oppose everything the government proposes,” she retorted.
Despite her clarifications, the debate intensified, fueling speculation about political motives behind the opposition. The government, wary of hurting Hindu sentiments and escalating tensions, postponed the event without announcing a new date.
The Bonalu controversy is seen as a symptom of broader discord between Surekha’s family and other Congress leaders in Warangal. The rift deepened during recent birthday celebrations for Rahul Gandhi.
During the celebrations, Surekha’s husband, former MLC Konda Muralidhar Rao (known as Murli), launched a scathing attack on fellow Congress MLAs. He targeted Kadiyam Srihari, who joined Congress after winning from Station Ghanpur on a BRS ticket, calling him “a leader without eyebrows or mustache.” He also labeled Wardhannapet MLA KR Nagaraj, a former police officer, an “encounter specialist,” and slammed Parkal MLA Revuri Prakash Reddy, a former BJP member, for switching parties.
The Konda couple’s influence in Warangal, particularly in Parkal, where Surekha previously served as MLA, has been a point of contention.
Surekha now represents Warangal East, but the couple maintains a strong presence in Parkal, where their workers frequently clash with Prakash Reddy’s supporters. Sources said that the Kondas aim to field their daughter, Sushmita Patel, from Parkal in the next Assembly elections, and hence are trying to diminish Prakash Reddy’s influence.
The MLAs and leaders opposing the Kondas, including Srihari, Prakash Reddy, Nagaraj, Bhupalpally MLA G Satyanarayana Rao, MLC Baswaraju Saraiah, Warangal DCC president Errabelli Swarna, and Kakatiya Urban Development Authority chairman E. Venkataram Reddy, met at Nayini Rajender Reddy’s residence to strategise the next move.
Rajender, without directly naming Murli, slammed Konda couple’s tactics, stating, “If anyone has issues, he should approach the party leadership in Hyderabad or Delhi, without making irresponsible comments.”
He also accused the couple of leveraging their backward-class identity to gain an unfair advantage in district politics.
The group lodged a formal complaint with Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud on 20 June, and is considering escalating the matter to the party’s high command. Telangana in-charge Meenakshi Natrajan is said to have discussed the issue with the leaders, but no immediate resolution has emerged.
Mahesh Kumar Goud has adopted a cautious approach, avoiding confrontation with either faction. He described the situation as an internal matter that would be resolved to maintain party unity.
Addressing Murli’s comments about his daughter’s electoral ambitions, Goud remarked, “Aspiring for a berth in the Assembly is common for everyone. There’s nothing wrong with it.” However, his neutral stance has done little to quell the unrest.
As the Congress grapples with its Warangal crisis, the party leadership faces pressure to mediate and restore harmony. Surekha, a prominent figure in the state cabinet, remains defiant, insisting that her department’s decisions are in the public interest.
However, her critics within the party are determined to curb what they describe as the “irresponsible behaviour” of the Konda couple.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
