Telangana minister Konda Surekha, who caused a stir by alleging that Bharat Raksha Samithi (BRS) leader KT Rama Rao (KTR) was to be blamed for the divorce of actors Samantha Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya, has now publicly apologised for her comments. The apology followed a legal notice from KTR demanding a retraction, warning of legal consequences if she failed to withdraw her statements and issue an apology.
Naga Chaitanya's father and top Telugu actor Nagarjuna strongly condemned the Minister's remarks asking her not to use lives of movie stars who stay away from politics, to criticise her opponents". The BRS slammed her for the "uncouth remarks" and said the matter will be dealt with legally and politically.
In a series of tweets, Surekha clarified her stance, stating that her remarks were meant to critique KTR’s "belittling of women" rather than to hurt anyone’s feelings. She expressed regret if her comments had caused any emotional pain, especially to Samantha Prabhu’s family.
"In my political career, I have never mentioned or brought up issues of anyone’s family for political gains. I did not demean your family or Ms @Samanthaprabhu2. I never use the problems someone faces in their personal life as a means to target them, nor did I do it in your case. That’s not my style or intention," she wrote on Twitter.
Surekha further emphasised that she had always maintained respectful political discourse and never made baseless allegations. "I have never crossed the boundaries in my political discourse, nor have I made baseless allegations. If my words have hurt or offended you, I express my regret. I always strive to uphold the dignity of my profession," she said.
Clarifying her intent, she said, "My comments are meant to question a leader's belittling of women and not to hurt your @Samanthaprabhu2 sentiments. The way you have grown up with self-power is not only an admiration for me, but also an ideal."
Earlier, a video of Konda Surekha accusing KTR of meddling in the personal lives of celebrities went viral. In the clip, she also alleged that KTR was involved in drug-related controversies and cited the divorce of Samantha and Naga Chaitanya, implying that KTR played a role in their separation.
Her comments sparked outrage, with several celebrities, including Naga Chaitanya and many other actors, criticising her statements.
KTR, in response, described Surekha’s remarks as "baseless and malicious" and accused her of attempting to damage his reputation with false claims.
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Samantha Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya, who announced their separation in 2021, have been in the media spotlight since their breakup. In August 2024, Naga Chaitanya got engaged to actor Sobhita Dhulipala.
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