Kapu leader Mudragada likely to join YSRCP

Rajamahendravaram: Speculations are rife that former minister and Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham will soon join the YSRCP.

Accordingly, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is taking steps, say party circles. It is learnt that the YSRCP has recently decided to allot ticket for Pithapuram Assembly constituency to Mudragada.

But Mudragada and other leaders are silent on the matter.

It is learnt that very soon Mudragada may visit Tadepalli and join YSRCP in the presence of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy. He has been leaning towards YSRCP from the beginning.

However, due to a lack of acceptance from Jagan Mohan Reddy's side, there has been a delay till now. Last December, Padmanabham made a vain bid to get Jagan's appointment.

Meanwhile, there were speculations that he would join the JSP. There were also reports that JSP chief Pawan Kalyan would meet Mudragada.

Padmanabham expected that Pawan would meet him at his residence at Kirlampudi. Jana Sena leader Bolishetti Srinivas led the negotiations but for some reason, the meeting did not take place.

With Mudragada evincing interest in joining the YSRCP, the party leaders told him that he can make the move at the right time. Fearing that entire Kapus would go with Mudragada if he joined the JSP, the YSRCP took steps to attract Mudragada again.

Efforts were made by the ruling party to coordinate with Mudragada through MLC Thota Trimurthulu and Minister Peddireddi Ramchandra Reddy.

Mudragada who waited for two months to have a meeting with JSP chief Pawan, was upset as the JSP-TDP alliance failed to invite him.

He wrote a letter to Pawan Kalyan last Thursday after the announcement of TDP-Jana Sena joint candidates and the Jenda Sabha in Tadepalligudem. He expressed his displeasure over the postponement of his meeting with Pawan.

In the letter, Mudragada stated that he thought that Pawan would take at least 80 seats in the alliance with the TDP, and share the post of CM. He reportedly hinted in the letter that he does not intend to join the JSP.

The YSRCP leadership feels that Pawan Kalyan will contest from Pithapur am. It is planning to field Padmanabham against Pawan. Although Kakinada MP Vanga Geetha has already been announced as the candidate for the Pithapuram Assembly constituency, the ruling party may replace her with Mudragada.

It is believed that YSRCP has zeroed-in on Mudragada in the absence of a strong candidate to contest against Pawan. It is learnt that Minister Botcha Satyanarayana first discussed this matter with Mudragada and then Vanga Geetha and Kakinada MLA Dwarampudi Chandrasekhar Reddy spoke to him. It seems that Vanga Geetha made it clear that if Mudragada Padmanabham contests, she is ready to withdraw from the contest.

On receiving a call from the CM’s camp office, Vanga Geeta visited Tadepalli on Friday. It is learnt that she was told that she would be allotted ticket to contest in the LS polls or given a Rajya Sabha seat if the party decides to field Mudragada from Pithapuram.

The Chief Minister has assured the Kakinada MP that she will be given a choice to contest for MP seat again or she will be considered for the Rajya Sabha. The YSRCP has earlier announced Chalamalasetti Sunil as the party candidate for Kakinada LS seat for the ensuing polls.