Didn't mean to hurt you, Samantha: Telangana minister retracts divorce remark

Telangana minister Konda Surekha retracted her remarks accusing BRS's KT Rama Rao for being responsible for actors Samantha and Naga Chaitanya's divorce.

In Short

• Konda Surekha retracts remark on linking KTR with Samantha-Naga divorce
• Says her remark was aimed at KTR, accused him of belitting women
• KTR had sent legal notice to her and demanded her apology

Faced with a defamation suit and massive backlash, Telangana minister Konda Surekha on Thursday withdrew her remarks alleging BRS leader KT Rama Rao's role in actors Samantha and Naga Chaitanya's divorce. Tagging Samantha in tweets, the 59-year-old Congress leader expressed regret, saying she did not mean to hurt the actor's sentiments.

"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," the minister tweeted.

If you or your fans are offended by my comments, I unconditionally retract my comments. Don't think otherwise," she added.

On Tuesday, a video of Konda Surekha accusing KTR of meddling in the personal lives of celebrities and being involved in drugs-related controversies surfaced on social media. In the video that swiftly went viral, the minister alleged that KTR was responsible for Samantha and Naga Chaitanya's separation, also dragging in the latter's father and veteran actor Nagarjuna.

"Naga Chaitanya's divorce happened 100 per cent due to KTR. This is because to not demolish N Convention hall, you had to send Samantha to me. Nagarjuna had forced Samantha to go (to KTR) and they said 'Either you (Samantha) listen to us or give us a divorce'. That is the reason why the divorce took place. The whole industry knows about it," she alleged.

"The reason for injustice towards Samantha is KTR. Two to three heroines also got married early due to drug cases. (Actor) Rakul Preet (Singh) got married and another two-three heroines as well. Why do we have to bear this headache (because of drug cases) and get married soon? With the power they had previously, they tapped phones, made records and threatened them," she claimed.

Konda Surekha's remarks drew sharp criticism from Nagarjuna, Naga Chaitanya, Samantha as well as top actors from the Telugu film industry. Samantha slammed Konda Surekha over the controversy and said her divorce with Naga Chaitanya was mutual and that no political conspiracy was involved. On the other hand, Nagarjuna asked the minister not to use the lives of film stars who stay away from politics to criticise her opponents, and respect other people's privacy.

Slamming the Congress for its "disgusting and nauseating politics", KTR shared the legal notice he had sent to the minister on X, urging Rahul Gandhi to send her to rehab.

"Served legal notices to the minister. Disgusting and nauseating politics by Congress. Request @RahulGandhi to send your minister and chief minister to a mental health specialist or a rehabilitation therapist," KTR said on Tuesday night.

BRS spokesperson Dasoju Sravan demanded the Congress to sack Konda Surekha from her ministerial post. "If Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge ji truly believe in humanity and decency in politics, she must be sacked from her ministerial post in the Telangana government," he said.

Naga Chaitanya and Samantha Prabhu announced their separation in 2021. Naga Chaitanya recently got engaged to actor Sobhita Dhulipala in August this year.