At last, veteran Kapu leader and former minister Mudragada Padmanabham on Sunday announced that he would be joining the YSR Congress party and campaigning for the party in the coming assembly and Lok Sabha elections in Andhra Pradesh.
He said he, along with his younger son Giri Babu, would go to YSRCP president and chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy’s camp office at Tadepalli on March 14 and officially join the party in the latter’s presence.
The veteran Kapu leader said he was joining the YSRCP without any pre-conditions and not expecting any posts or party tickets to contest the elections.
“If, by god’s grace, Jagan Mohan Reddy returns to power in the coming elections, I will accept any post that is offered to me by Jagan,” he said.
Mudragada said he would make extensive campaign for the YSRCP in the coming elections and appeal to the Kapu community to support Jagan.
“I will continue to be in active politics, but this time, I won’t be contesting the elections,” he clarified.
There were reports that Mudragada would be contesting from Pithapuram against Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan, who was originally tipped to fight from there. But the YSRCP, which has already named Vanga Geetha for Pithapuram was not keen on giving it up.
So, the veteran Kapu leader reportedly told YSRCP leaders that he would not contest the elections at all; and if Jagan comes back to power, he should be given the Rajya Sabha ticket. He is learnt to have got an assurance to that effect from Jagan, sources said.
Now, it will be interesting to see to what extent Mudragada would be able to split the Kapu votes in favour of YSRCP in East and West Godavari districts.
Since another Kapu leader and former MP Chegondi Harirama Jogaiah’s son Suryaprakash also joined the YSRCP, it might help the YSRCP in the Godavari districts, sources said.