YSRCP invites Kapu leader Mudragada to join party

A significant development unfolded in coastal Andhra Pradesh politics as the YSRCP extended an invitation to former minister and influential Kapu community leader, Mudragada Padmanabham, to join the party.
A delegation from the YSRCP, comprising MPs PV Mithun Reddy and Vanga Geeta, along with MLAs Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar Reddy, Korasala Kannababu, Davuluru Dorababu, and Thota Narasimham, convened at Mudragada Padmanabham’s residence in Kirlampudi on Thursday.
Sources reveal that during the meeting, YSRCP leaders formally invited Mudragada Padmanabham to consider joining their party. The discussions between the two parties lasted approximately 40 minutes, covering various issues.
It is understood that Mudragada Padmanabham has expressed a positive inclination towards actively participating in politics by aligning with the YSRCP. He has indicated his intention to formally join the party on March 12, in the presence of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.
Speaking to the press, MP Mithun Reddy stated that their visit to Mudragada Padmanabham’s residence was at the behest of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who holds high regard for senior leaders like Mudragada. However, Reddy refrained from confirming whether Mudragada’s affiliation with the YSRCP was imminent.
In a twist to the proceedings, MP Vanga Geeta abruptly left the meeting when YSRCP leaders proposed Mudragada’s potential candidacy from the Pithapuram constituency.
Notably, Vanga Geeta, the YSRCP in-charge of the Pithapuram Assembly constituency, initiated her campaign in the region. Her departure from the meeting came in response to YSRCP’s proposition of fielding Mudragada Padmanabham as a candidate from Pithapuram, as per reliable sources.
Sources further suggest that Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan is contesting from the Pithapuram constituency. In a strategic move, the YSRCP aims to counter Kalyan’s influence by enlisting the support of another influential Kapu community leader, Mudragada Padmanabham.
The YSRCP strategises to leverage Mudragada’s popularity to sway the predominantly Kapu-dominated constituencies, while also expressing willingness to confer a significant nominated post to Mudragada Padmanabham’s son.