Expel father-in-law Venkataswamy: Shankar Rao
Hyderabad, Feb 2 (INN): Cabinet Minister P Shankar Rao has condemned the comments made by his father-in-law and former Union Minister Gudisela Venkataswamy and demanded that the latter be expelled from the Congress party for his anti-party activities. The Minister who is in Turkey to oversee the arrangements of 'India Show' stall in the international exhibition scheduled to be held there lashed out through a cable sent to media persons covering the the state Secretariat beat at Mr Venkataswamy for his anti-Congress and anti-Sonia stand particularly after taking full advantage of the party.
Mr Venkataswamy's blaming Ms Sonia Gandhi was termed as 'outrageous' and Dr Shankar Rao endorsed the former as mentally unstable. Since the fact that Dr Shankar Rao is Mr Ventakataswamy's son-in-law and also holds a medical degree, his endorsement raised many an eyebrow here. The invitation extended to Praja Rajyam Party president K Chiranjeevi by the High Command through Defence Minister AK Antony was not the immediate provocation for Swamy.
His actual grouse was that Swamy did not receive support from the state government when he tried to resist film star Srikanth's advances for recovery of lands of the latter which the former grabbed fictitiously. Swamy was also cornered for resorting to blackmailing tactics and deserved expulsion from the party and Dr Shankar Rao urged the party chief Sonia Gandhi to initiate steps to expel Mr Swamy from the party.
At another meeting Labour Minister Danam Nagender demanded that Mr Venkataswamy tender an unconditional apology to Sonia Gandhi immediately. The outbursts of Swamy were uncalled for, Mr Nagender said.
Meanwhile Mr Venkataswamy ruled out withdrawal of his comments against Sonia Gandhi and on the other hand challenged the party to expel him. His condition to withdraw his scathing attack against the party president was linked to the statehood for Telangana.
A mere statement from the High Command that they would support Telangana statehood would satisfy him and would facilitate him to withdraw his comments, Mr Venkataswamy said.
News Posted: 2 February, 2011
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