The YSR Congress party leaders on Thursday continued the consultations with veteran Kapu leader and former minister Mudragada Padmanabham to rope him into the party and make him mobilise the support of Kapus for the party in the coming elections.
Party MPs – P Mithun Reddy, Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose and Vanga Geetha, besides MLAs Jakkampudi Raja and Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar Reddy came down to Mudragada’s house at Kirlampudi village in Konaseema district and held discussions with him.
While Mudragada has more or less been convinced to join the party by March 12, there are reports that he has decided against contesting the elections.
Apparently, he is asking for a commitment from YSRCP president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for a Rajya Sabha nomination, if the party comes back to power again.
The party is understood to have offered the MLA ticket to Mudragada’s son Giri Babu, but not from Pithapuram, where Jagan has already announced the candidature of Vanga Geetha. She has already spent big money there and is campaigning extensively.
“The talks are going on with regard to selection of a suitable seat for Mudragada’s son. If it doesn’t work out, Jagan has reportedly offered a prominent nominated post to him, much before the issuance of the election schedule,” sources said.
After the conclusion of talks, Mudragada might make a statement on his political plans. He may be invited to Tadepalli camp office of Jagan on March 12, where he would formally join the party, sources added.