Three families dominate politics in Prathipadu

Rajamahendravaram: Prathipadu Assembly constituency, which was constituted in 1951, is a Kapu dominated segment. In the last 68 years only nine leaders got elected as MLAs and all of them belong to the same community. Mostly Mudragada, Parvata and Varupula families have been controlling the politics of this constituency.

Prathipadu constituency is an upland region. During every election, topics like irrigation and drinking water emerge as the main issues. There is not enough water supply even for local needs from Eleru reservoir due to improper maintenance of the canals.

This constituency was once famous for banana and sugarcane crops and the area under these two crops was declined significantly. The closure of sugar factories in Samarlakota, Pithapuram and Payakaraopet affected sugarcane cultivation and over 25,000 people lost their livelihood.

In 2019, the constituency has a total of 212,900 voters. Parvata Gurraju (Congress) was elected from this constituency in 1955, Mudragada Veera Raghava Rao (Independent) in 1962 and 1967, and Varupula Jogiraju (Congress) in 1972.

Mudragada Padmanabham made his political debut in 1978 as Janata Party candidate. Later he joined Telugu Desam Party, founded by NT Rama Rao in 1983. He won the elections again in 1985 on TDP ticket. Then he migrated to Congress in 1989 and contested as MLA and won. He worked as Minister in both TDP and Congress governments. But in 1994 election, he lost to TDP candidate Parvata Subbarao.

Parvata Bapanamma (wife of Subbarao) won from TDP in 1999 elections and Varupula Subbarao from Congress in 2004 elections. In 2009, Parvata Sri Satyanarayana Murthy won from TDP. Varupula Subbarao won as YSR Congress Party candidate in 2014. In 2019,

Parvata Sri Purnachandra Prasad from YSRCP got elected.

Mudragada gained fame at State-level when Kapu reservation movement was launched in 1991. The movement, known as Uttrakanchi movement, demanded reservations for Kapus. But his popularity did not help him win the elections in 1994. He had contested as Congress candidate. This was due to the large number of BC voters. He was defeated by TDP candidate Parvata Subbarao.

In 2009, Parvata Satyanarayana Murthy won from TDP. In 2014, Varupula Subbarao won the election as YSRCP candidate. In 2019, Parvata Sri Purnachandra Prasad won from YSRCP.