Telangana's Forest Minister Konda Surekha has sparked a major controversy with her allegations against Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader KT Rama Rao, linking him to the divorce of actors Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Ruth Prabhu, as well as accusations involving drugs and blackmail.
KTR has responded by sending her a legal notice, accusing her of defamation.
Her comments have also drawn a sharp response from Jr NTR, who criticized her remarks, stating, "Dragging personal lives into politics is a new low. Public figures, especially those in responsible positions like you, must maintain dignity and protect respect."
Jr NTR further elaborated on X, formerly Twitter: "Konda Surekha garu, dragging personal lives into politics is a new low. Public figures, especially those in responsible positions like you, must maintain dignity and respect for privacy. It’s disheartening to see baseless statements being carelessly thrown around, especially about the film industry. We will not sit quietly while others make baseless allegations against us. We should rise above this and respect each other’s boundaries. Let’s ensure our society does not normalize such reckless behavior in democratic India."
Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu also issued a strong response to the Telangana minister, advising her to be "responsible and respectful of individuals' privacy" and to leave her "out of political battles."
The Congress leader, Konda Surekha, had previously faced online abuse after a photo circulated showing BJP leader and Medak MP Raghunandan Rao placing a garland around her neck at an event.
She accused BRS leaders of using the incident to demean her by exploiting her gender.
Naga Chaitanya, who parted ways with Samantha Ruth Prabhu two years ago, got engaged to actor Sobhita Dhulipala in August.
