Konda Surekha Retracts Statement on Chai-Sam Divorce, Apologizes

Hyderabad:A day after facing widespread criticism for alleging that BRS leader K.T. Rama Rao was responsible for the divorce of actors Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya, minister Konda Surekha retracted her statement on Thursday.

In a post on X, Surekha, had had herself faced significant trolling and had complained about it earlier in the week, expressed regret over her comments. Writing in Telugu, she stated, "My intention was only to highlight a leader’s belittling attitude towards women, not to hurt your sentiments, Samantha. I admire your self-made success. If my words hurt you or your fans, I unconditionally retract them. Please don’t misunderstand me."

The Congress leadership, concerned about the backlash from film personalities, politicians, and the general public, moved quickly with damage-control measures.

TPCC president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud discussed the issue with Surekha and advised her to end the controversy. He also urged Congress leaders to exercise caution in their statements going forward. Following this, Surekha issued a formal retraction.

In a video message, Goud appealed to the film industry to stop escalating the issue and accept Surekha’s apology. He stressed the need for a resolution, particularly since women were on both sides of the controversy, and condemned the trolling of Surekha on social media.

Later, speaking to the media, Surekha admitted that her comments were "wrong" and based on "internal sources" from the film industry. "No one knows the true reason behind Samantha and Naga Chaitanya’s separation. My remarks were based on what I heard from internal sources," she said.

However, she added defiantly, "I won’t spare K.T. Rama Rao for trolling me on social media."

Meanwhile, actor Nagarjuna Akkineni, Naga Chaitanya's father, filed a criminal and defamation case against Surekha for her comments on Thursday. The complaint, filed in Nampally court, accused Surekha of knowingly spreading false information to harm the reputation of his family.

BRS women corporators also lodged a complaint at Banjara Hills police station, demanding a public apology from Surekha for her baseless allegations against their working president Rama Rao.