The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Monday strongly criticised K Chandrasekhara Rao for conducting a religious ceremony while taking charge as Minister of Labour and Employment on Sunday.
In a statement on Monday, the CPI-M politburo, expressing strong disapproval of Rao, said performing religious rituals in a government office was a violation of the Constitution.
"Rao performed a public religious ceremony in a government office. Each individual is entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely practise and propagate religion.
"But to convert a government office into a place of public religious ceremony is violative of the secular principle."
Rao, who heads the Telangana Rashtra Samiti, a constituent of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), was given charge of the labour and employment portfolio on Saturday.
Rao had been a minister without portfolio since May when Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took office at the helm of the Left-backed UPA government.