Mudragada Padmanabham, Kapu leader fighting for Kapu reservations, may contest from Kakinada on Janasena ticket. This is the rumor currently circulated widely among political circles. With this rumor circulating widely, Kakinada politics and Mudragada political career became a discussion point once again.
Mudragada’s political career:
Mudragada Padmanabham one as MLA in 1978 from Janata Party for the first time. He was on winning spree in subsequent elections and he won in 1983 as independent, won in 1985 from TDP and again won in 1989 from Congress Party. For the first time he lost elections in 1994 from Congress Party and TDP candidate won over him. In 1999 he was Kakinada MP from Telugu Desam Party again. In 2004 elections he contested to Lok Sabha from same Kakinada and from same Telugu Desam Party but he lost the elections in 2004. In 2009 he joined Congress again and contested from Pithapuram but he lost it to Praja Rajyam Party candidate Vanga Geetha. He associated himself with Kapunadu since 1990s. He resigned his Ministry in N. T. Rama Rao’s cabinet and started Praja Rakshana Samiti. Later, he started the Telugu Nadu Party with K. E. Krishnamurti and K Jana Reddy but that party did not sustain. He also was associated with BJP for brief stint and helped Krishnam Raju win from Kakinada as MP in 1998. He supported YSRCP too for a very brief period. So, he was in several parties and he founded some parties too.
Mudragada moving towards Janasena?
Once, he was winning elections continuously, but later he lost his ground. He lost in 2004 and 2009. But in last couple of years again he gained image of the crusader of Kapu reservations. During Tuni incident, he was seen maintaining close relationship with Jagan but after recent U-turn from Jagan on Kapu reservations he seemed to have moved away from Jagan and his party. At the same time Pawan Kalyan spelling his stand on Kapu reservation very clearly seems to have attracted Mudragada to that party. He has welcomed Pawan’s announcement on Kapu reservations (https://www.telugu360.com/mudragada-welcomes-pawan-stand-on-kapu-reservations/). Moreover, there has been pressure from Kapu youngsters on him to join hands with Pawan but he used to tell them that he cannot take such decision unless Pawan supports the issue of Kapu reservations. But YSRCP, that supported Mudragada during Tuni is disappointed with these latest rumors.
Kakinada constituency and Kapu factor:
Kakinada has been forte of Kapu leaders. In last 30 years, except for one or two times (e.g. Krishnam Raju), always Kapu leaders won from this constituency. Mudragada last served as MP from this constituency in 1999. Later in 2004 and 2009 the seat was won by Pallam Raju from Congress. But after state bifurcation, like all other Congress leaders, he also lost the elections. In 2014 elections, TDP candidate Thota Narasimham won from this constituency. So f he contests from Kakinada, he has high chances of winning and if he joins, it may help consolidating Kapu vote bank towards Janasena.
So after seeing these latest developments, many political analysts are also predicting that he may contest from Janasena ticket in 2019. At the same time rumors are rife that he will contest again from Kakinada constituency. We will have to wait and see how true these rumors are and whether Mudragada will face elections again or will confine himself to be crusader of Kapu reservations without contesting elections.
-ZURAN (@CriticZuran)
